Top 10 Birds Found In India

Let's discuss this article on some of the beautiful bird species in India. India is a haven for many bird and animal species. From the iconic and colorful Indian Peafowls to inconspicuous Greater Coucals, all bird species thrive on the Indian subcontinent.

This article offers a quick view to bird enthusiasts, bird watchers, or explorers, giving incredible insights into birds found in India. Each bird is unique in its own way, living in different habitats and helping to make the country look like a paradise.

1. The Grey Junglefowl (Gallus sonneratii)

Also known as Sonnerat's Junglefowl, this fascinating wild bird holds a special place in India's avian diversity. Named after the French explorer Pierre Sonnerat who first documented it, the Grey Junglefowl represents one of nature's direct links to modern domestic chickens.

• Where It Lives: It lives in forests in India, Sri Lanka, and Southeast Asia.
• How It Looks: The male has grey feathers with red and brown colors around its neck. These colors are very bright during the mating season.
• What It Eats: It eats seeds, insects, and sometimes small plants.

2. Indian Peafowl (Peacock)

The Indian Peafowl is India’s national bird. The Indian peafowl (Pavo cristatus), also known as the common peafowl or blue peafowl, is a peafowl species native to the Indian subcontinent. While it originated in the Indian subcontinent, it has since been introduced to many other parts of the world. Male peafowl are referred to as peacocks, and female peafowl are referred to as peahens, although both sexes are often referred to colloquially as a "peacock".

• How It Looks: The male, known as a peacock, is very colorful. Its feathers are blue and green and shine in the sunlight. The female, called a peahen, has brown feathers with hints of red.
• Special Dance: The peacock opens its feathers wide to impress the female. This dance is also a way to show other peacocks who is stronger.
• Where It Lives: You can see peafowls in forests, villages, and even near temples.

3. Bustards

Bustards are large birds that live in dry areas. They are shy and usually live alone. Bustards, including floricans and korhaans, are large, terrestrial birds. There are currently 26 extant species of bustards recognised by the International Ornithologists' Union. Many species of fossil bustards are known from the Miocene onwards. However, their exact number and taxonomy are unsettled due to ongoing discoveries.

• Where It Lives: It prefers grasslands and open fields.
• How It Looks: Bustards can grow very big, up to 150 cm long.
• What It Eats: Bustards eat seeds, small animals, and even insects.

4. Indian Roller

The Indian Roller is a colorful bird with shades of pink and blue. The Indian roller (Coracias benghalensis) is a bird of the family Coraciidae. It is 30–34 cm long with a wingspan of 65–74 cm and weighs 166–176 g. The face and throat are pinkish, the head and back are brown, with blue on the rump and contrasting light and dark blue on the wings and tail. The bright blue markings on the wing are prominent in flight. The sexes are similar in appearance.

• Where It Lives: It can be found in forests, farmlands, and even city parks.
• How It Looks: It has a pink face, a blue back, and light blue wings. Males and females look very similar.
• Why It Is Special: It is often seen sitting on wires or branches, waiting to catch insects.

5. Rock Dove (Pigeon)

Rock Doves, or pigeons, are very common in India. They are often seen in cities. The rock dove, also known as the common pigeon, is a member of the Columbidae bird family, originally from Southern Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia. Domesticated rock doves are ancestors to feral pigeons, which are now widespread globally, thriving in cities and open areas alike. Wild rock doves are characterized by pale grey feathers with black wing bars, whereas feral pigeons display a variety of plumage patterns.

• How It Looks: They have blue-grey feathers with two black stripes on their wings.
• Where It Lives: They live near buildings, open fields, and even cliffs.
• Fun Fact: Many pigeons we see today are the descendants of domesticated pigeons.

6. Greater Coucal

The Greater Coucal is a big bird that looks a bit like a crow. A widespread resident in the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia, it is divided into several subspecies, some being treated as full species. They are large, crow-like with a long tail and coppery brown wings and found in a wide range of habitats from jungle to cultivation and urban gardens. They are weak fliers, and are often seen clambering about in vegetation or walking on the ground as they forage for insects, eggs and nestlings of other birds. They have a familiar deep resonant call which is associated with omens in many parts of its range.

• How It Looks: It has a long tail and copper-colored wings. The male is black and shiny, while the female has dark brown feathers.
• Where It Lives: It lives in forests, gardens, and even near villages.
• What It Eats: It eats insects, small animals, and sometimes seeds.

7. Rose-ringed Parakeet

The Rose-ringed Parakeet is a bright green parrot. It is a very popular pet in many countries. One of the few parrot species that have successfully adapted to living in disturbed habitats, it has withstood the onslaught of urbanization and deforestation. As a popular pet species, escaped birds have colonised a number of cities around the world, including populations in Northern and Western Europe.

• How It Looks: Males have a colorful ring around their neck, while females do not.
• Where It Lives: You can see them in parks, gardens, and forests.
• Fun Fact: They can mimic human speech.

8. Common Kingfisher

The Common Kingfisher is a small bird that loves water. This sparrow-sized bird has the typical short-tailed, large-headed kingfisher profile, it has blue upperparts, orange underparts and a long bill. It feeds mainly on fish, caught by diving, and has special visual adaptations to enable it to see prey under water. The glossy white eggs are laid in a nest at the end of a burrow in a riverbank.

• How It Looks: It has bright blue feathers, orange underparts, and a white patch on its neck.
• Where It Lives: Near rivers, ponds, and lakes.
• Special Skill: It dives into the water to catch fish.

9. Indian Cuckoo

The Indian Cuckoo is a shy bird that is hard to spot. The Indian cuckoo or short-winged cuckoo (Cuculus micropterus) is a member of the cuckoo order of birds, the Cuculiformes, that is found in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It ranges from India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka east to Indonesia and north to China and Russia. It is a solitary and shy bird, found in forests and open woodland at up to 3,600 m (11,800 ft).

• Where It Lives: It lives in forests and woodlands at high altitudes.
• How It Looks: It has a white throat, grey sides, and a black border around its belly.
• Fun Fact: Its call sounds like it is saying “Who’s awake? Who’s awake?”

10. Kingfishers

Kingfishers are a group of birds found all over India. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species living in the tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Oceania, but also can be found in Europe and the Americas. They can be found in deep forests near calm ponds and small rivers. The family contains 118 species and is divided into three subfamilies and 19 genera. All kingfishers have large heads, long, sharp, pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails. Most species have bright plumage with only small differences between the sexes. Most species are tropical in distribution, and a slight majority are found only in forests.

• Subfamilies: There are tree kingfishers, river kingfishers, and water kingfishers.
• Where It Lives: Most kingfishers live near water, but some can also be found in forests.
• Special Skill: They are excellent at catching fish with their strong beaks.

Understanding India's Bird Paradise

Each bird species in India plays a unique role in its ecosystem, contributing to the country's rich biodiversity. From the forests to urban gardens, these birds showcase nature's incredible variety in:

• Appearance and coloration
• Habitat preferences
• Behavioral patterns
• Ecological contributions

Bird Watching Tips

For enthusiasts hoping to spot the Grey Junglefowl and other Indian birds:

• Best viewing times: Early morning and late afternoon
• Look for them in dense forest undergrowth
• Listen for their distinctive calls
• Observe from a respectful distance