Palam Vihar: bird checklist

By Abhijit Menon-Sen <>

This is a list of bird species I have identified in Palam Vihar, wedged between the borders of Delhi and Haryana. It is no longer actively maintained.

Update 2015-10-30: This checklist is no longer actively maintained.

  1. Black Francolin (Francolinus francolinus)
  2. Grey Francolin (Francolinus pondicerianus)
  3. Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus)
  4. Spot-Billed Duck (Anas poecilorhyncha)
  5. Eurasian Wryneck (Jynx torquilla)
  6. Yellow-Crowned Woodpecker (Dendrocopos mahrattensis)
  7. Black-Rumped Flameback (Dinopium benghalense)
  8. Brown-Headed Barbet (Megalaima zeylanica)
  9. Coppersmith Barbet (Megalaima haemacephala)
  10. Indian Grey Hornbill (Ocyceros birostris)
  11. Common Hoopoe (Upupa epops)
  12. Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)
  13. White-Throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis)
  14. Green Bee-Eater (Merops orientalis)
  15. Asian Koel (Eudynamys scolopacea)
  16. Pied Crested Cuckoo (Clamator jacobinus)
  17. Greater Coucal (Centropus sinensis)
  18. House Swift (Apus affinis)
  19. Barn Owl (Tyto alba)
  20. Spotted Owlet (Athene brama)
  21. Alexandrine Parakeet (Psittacula eupatria)
  22. Rose-Ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri)
  23. Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)
  24. Laughing Dove (Streptopelia senegalensis)
  25. Red Collared Dove (Streptopelia tranquebarica)
  26. Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
  27. Yellow-Footed Green Pigeon (Treron phoenicoptera)
  28. Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)
  29. Yellow-Wattled Lapwing (Vanellus malarbaricus)
  30. Red-Wattled Lapwing (Vanellus indicus)
  31. Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
  32. Black-Shouldered Kite (Elanus caeruleus)
  33. Shikra (Accipiter badius)
  34. Black Kite (Milvus migrans)
  35. Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)
  36. Black Ibis (Pseudibis papillosa)
  37. Long-Tailed Shrike (Lanius schach)
  38. Rufous Tree Pie (Dendrocitta vagabunda)
  39. House Crow (Corvus splendens)
  40. Large-Billed Crow (Corvus macrorhynchos)
  41. Black Drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus)
  42. Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus)
  43. Red-Throated Flycatcher (Ficedula parva)
  44. Oriental Magpie Robin (Copsychus saularis)
  45. Indian Robin (Saxicoloides fulicata)
  46. Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
  47. Brahminy Starling (Sturnus pagodarum)
  48. Asian Pied Starling (Sturnus contra)
  49. Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis)
  50. Bank Myna (Acridotheres ginginianus)
  51. Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
  52. Wire-Tailed Swallow (Hirundo smithii)
  53. Red-Vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer)
  54. Ashy Prinia (Prinia socialis)
  55. Oriental White-Eye (Zosterops palpebrosus)
  56. Common Tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius)
  57. Blyth's Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus dumetorum)
  58. Lesser Whitethroat (Sylvia curruca)
  59. Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)
  60. Hume's Warbler (Phylloscopus humei)
  61. Brooks's Leaf Warbler (Phylloscopus subviridis)
  62. Large Grey Babbler (Turdoides malcolmi)
  63. Jungle Babbler (Turdoides striatus)
  64. Indian Bushlark (Mirafra erythroptera)
  65. Purple Sunbird (Nectarina asiatica)
  66. House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
  67. White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)
  68. Pied Bushchat (Saxicola caprata)
  69. Brown Rock-Chat (Cercomela fusca)
  70. Paddyfield Pipit (Anthus rufulus)
  71. Tawny Pipit (Anthus campestris)
  72. Indian Silverbill (Lonchura malabarica)
  73. Scaly-Breasted Munia (Lonchura punctulata)
  74. Baya Weaver (Ploceus philippinus)

This list does not include some species that I have not been able to identify conclusively. I've left out at least two warblers, a pipit, a nightjar (probably a Savannah Nightjar, based on other sightings in Gurgaon), and perhaps a few others.