Fishes - Home

The Blackcapped Kingfisher (Halcyon pileata) is one of the most
beautiful of our birds and is occasionally seen near the sea coast and tidal
rivers. The White-collared Kingfisher (Halcyon chloris) is a very rare bird
having been recorded only once from Ratnagiri in 1878.
Family Meropidae: Bee-eaters can be easily identified by their
predominantly green colour and their projecting central tail feathers. They
fly with rapid wing strokes and then glide gracefully and return again and
again to the same perch from which they sally out after winged prey.
Many are seasonal migrants and they nest in holes in mudbank and on the
sea-shore. One of the commonest of this family is the Common Bee-eater
(Merops orientalis). The European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) and the
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater (Mcrops superciliosus) are winter migrants. The
Bluetailed Bee-eater (Merops philippinus) though a resident, occurs
sparingly in dry open country. Blue-bearded Bee-eater (Nyctyornis
athertoni) is found in evergreen forests of western ghats and its breeding
season is from February to August.
Family Coraciidae: Rollers are brilliantly coloured, blue and green
Jay like birds. The sexes are similar and during the breeding season they
roll and somersault in the air and it is from this that they get their name.
During flight the bright varied colours of the wings attract attention. Of
the three species in India two are recorded in Maharashtra. The European
Roller (Coracias garrulus) is a winter visitor and it can be distinguished
from the resident Indian Blue Jay or Roller (Coracias benghalensis) by the
latter’s blue underparts as distinguished from the brown underparts of the
visitor. The blue-black wings of the Indian Roller are also more colourful.
The Indian Roller nests in cavities in trees from March to July and has
been recorded from Satara, Poona and Greater Bombay.
Family Upupidae: The Hoopoe (Upupa epops) is the only member of
this family and is a beautiful fawn coloured bird with a prominent crest,
black-and-white wings, and a long curved bill. It probes the earth for
worms, spiders, crickets, etc. and breeds in cavities in trees and walls. The
European Hoopoe is a common cold weather visitor, and has been
recorded from Greater Bombay and the Kolaba District.
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