The red lipstick bird - Sirkeer Malkoha
On that day, we were busy in observing water birds with our binox in a reservoir
of dam site within Balaram-Ambaji Wildlife Sanctuary. Suddenly a bird with
glossy red bill crosses the road, literally by walking-not flying exactly in
front of us. We both speak in unison… “Oh
it is Sirkeer Malkoha!” It disappears swiftly through vegetation running like
mongoose. We were little bit depressed because no one’s camera ready at that
moment. We missed one more chance to photograph beauty of ‘Lipstick bird’. We tried to find it for some time then decided
to move ahead. While returning we stopped by at same place to look out just in
case…! We got luckier this time. We were able to spot well-concealed Sirkeer
Malkoha on one of the Prosopis juliflora (ગાંડો બાવળ) shrub only because it was calling…! It has very
attractive hooked bill with bright cherry-red and yellow color. It is a large bird
around 40 cm. mainly brown and rufous in colour and having long heavy white
tipped tail feathers. It was hopping from branch to branch with great agility,
like the coucal. We saw this bird many times but first time we got somewhat
clear shots.
The sirkeer malkoha or sirkeer cuckoo (Phaenicophaeus leschenaultii), is
a member of the cuckoo order of birds, the Cuculiformes. It is a resident bird
in the Indian subcontinent. The scientific name of this bird honors the French botanist
and ornithologist Jean Baptiste Leschenault de la
Tour.
Their habitat is largely terrestrial, open scrub and thorn jungle,
deciduous secondary jungle. Normally seen singly or in pairs. Sexes are
similar, but juveniles are duller and barred above.
Usually stalks amongst thickets like crow-pheasant, searching for food;
insects, lizards, fallen fruits and berries, etc. They prefer to runs swiftly
through undergrowth rather than fly. They are feeble flier, but climb trees rapidly.
Their call is normally a subdued "bzuk... bzuk" ; also an alarm call
of "p'tang" with a metallic quality.
11th
April 2016
Balarm - Ambaji Wildlife Sanctuary, Banaskatha, Gujarat, India
Nikon D7100
AF-S Nikkor
300mm F/4D IF-ED + AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E
f/14, 1/250,iso-800
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