My Science School

               The large-billed crow has a glossy black plumage and a steep forehead. It is a large bird with a large curved bill. It usually lives in rural areas, in the vicinity of human settlements. This is to make use of the dirty conditions created by humans, since this bird can find calories from almost anything, including dead bodies. This bold and adventurous bird is highly sociable and is fond of a large company. They are found to roost communally in thousands of numbers, often including other species of birds. Roosting in large groups is a night-time habit while, they build and look after nests in pairs during daytime.

               The large-billed crow has the ability to adapt to any living condition. This helps them colonize new places, often making them a nuisance in places like islands. They are very common in India and most parts of Asia. Johann Georg Wagler was the first person to describe these birds in 1827, based on a specimen he got from Java. 

            The Indian house crow is perhaps the most familiar and least-loved bird in our country. Not just here, they are seen in many parts of the world where they arrived with the assistance of shipping.

            This bird has a glossy black feather cover on its forehead, throat, upper breast and top of the head. The neck and breast has a lighter grey-brown shade. They prefer living in the vicinity of human habitation, like urban centres and cultivation. These are very bold and curious birds, leading a very social life. They roost in large numbers. They feed on almost anything, including garbage and decaying animal bodies. They are habitual robbers, often uninvited guests in people’s shops and other birds’ nests. They build nests with sticks on treetops or on artificial supports like telephone towers. Three to five eggs can be seen in a nest.

          Plum-headed parakeets are notable for the distinct contrast between their body and head. These are slim birds, with a green plumage over the body. The male birds have a purple-red coloured head and a blue collar, while the females have a dark lavender head and yellow collar. They can fly very fast, often making their peculiar calls.

          These birds are found in wooden areas like plantations, city parks and gardens. However, they avoid dry regions. They also raid crops for food, but the ‘raid team’ will not be very large in number. They nest on trees, often in holes carved out by the pairs, in tree trunks. The female lays four to six eggs and she will in sole charge of their incubation and nurturing. These birds roost communally.

          Plum-headed parakeets are very common in India and Pakistan. They are favourite pet birds for many, due to their ability to mimic beeps and whistles and to talk. 

            The Alexandrine parakeets were once considered special birds. Alexander the Great is known to have exported these birds from Punjab to various European and Mediterranean regions and this earned these birds their name. Important people like princes, noblemen and warlords considered these birds to be a luxurious possession.

            The Alexandrine parakeet is a large bird with a big bill. It is grass-green in colour. The male birds of the species have a maroon patch on the shoulders and a black-and-pink collar which distinguishes them from females. These birds are commonly seen in wooded areas and plantations, like city parks and gardens. They raid farms and orchards in large numbers, for fruits, vegetables and cereals, which constitute their favourite diet. These are shy birds and their young ones are frequently sold as pets in the bird markets.

            These birds are commonly seen throughout India, except in the extreme south. Apart from India, Afghanistan and Southeast Asian countries also host a good number of these birds.