2013 | 319 | 15Nov13 | Abbanakuppe Lake | Bidadi

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1. Brown Shrike

Audio Credit : Ramit Singal, Manipal, India

http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Lanius-cristatus?&view=3

Brown Shrike
ID	01	Distinctive black "bandit-mask" through the eye. தனித்தன்மை வாய்ந்த முகமுடி அணிந்த கண்கள்
	02	Brown on the upper parts and the tail is rounded. மேல் பகுதிகள் பழுப்பு நிறத்திலும் வால் வட்ட வடிவில் காணப்படும்,
	03	The black mask can be paler in winter and has a white brow over it.
	04	Underside is creamy with rufous flanks and belly.
	05	Wings are brown and lack any white "mirror" patches.
	06	Females tend to have fine scalloping on the underside and the mask is dark brown and not as well marked as in the male.
	07	The tail is more brownish
Habitat	08	Found in open scrub habitats,
Distribution	09	Found mainly in Asia.
	10	The nominate form breeds in northern Asia from Mongolia to Siberia and winters in South Asia, Myanmar and the Malay Peninsula.
Behavior & Ecology	11	Migratory species and often return to same location each winter.
	12	Arrive in winter to India in August to September and departure in April.
	13	The breeding season is late May or June
	14	Breeding habitat includes the taiga, forest to semi- desert where they build a nest in a tree or bush, laying 2-6 eggs.
Feeding	15	Feed on insects, especially insects including butterfly & moths.
	16	They impale prey on thorns. Small birds and lizards are also sometimes preyed on.
	17	They typically look out for prey from a perch and fly down towards the ground to capture them.
		Source : Wikipedia

02. Scaly Breasted Munia

Audio Credit : Sander Bot, Holland

http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Lonchura-punctulata

Scaly-Breasted Munia
ID	01	It's a sparrow-sized estrildid finch native to tropical Asia.
	02	Its name is based on the distinct scale-like feather markings on the breast and belly.
	03	The adult is brown above and has a dark conical bill.
	04	This Munia eats mainly on grass seeds apart from berries and small insects.
	05	They forage in flocks and communicate with soft calls and whistles.
	06	The species is highly social and may sometimes roost with other species of munias.
	07	This species is found in tropical plains and grasslands.
	08	The Scaly-breasted Munia is about 11–12 centimetres (4.3–4.7 in) long and weighs 12–16 grams.
	09	The adult has a stubby dark bill typical of grain eating birds, brown upperparts and a dark brown head.
	10	The underparts are white with dark scale markings.
	11	The sexes are similar, although males have darker markings on the underside and a darker throat than females.
	12	Immature birds have pale brown upperparts, lack the dark head found in adults, and have uniform buff underparts
	13	Breeding pairs construct dome-shaped nests using grass or bamboo leaves.
Social	14	Scaly-breasted Munias form flocks of as many as 100 birds.
	15	Individuals communicate with calls that include a short whistle, variations of kitty-kitty-kitty, and a sharp chipping alarm note.
Breeding	16	The breeding season is during the summer rainy season (mainly June to August in India) but can vary.
	17	The nest is a large domed structure loosely woven from blades of grass, bamboo or other leaves with a side entrance and is placed in a tree or under the eaves of a house.
Egg	18	Scaly-breasted Munia clutch usually contain 4 to 6 eggs, but can contain up to 10.
	19	Both sexes build the nest and incubate the eggs, which hatch in 10 to 16 days.
	20	Juveniles typically fledge in three weeks.
	21	Scaly-breasted Munias have a typical life expectancy of 6 to 8 years.
Food	22	The Scaly-breasted Munia feeds mainly on seeds but also eats small berries
	23	They may also feed on algae, a rich protein source, prior to the breeding season.
		Source : Wikipedia