Birdwing Butterflies in action: beauties in slow motion, in Meghalaya

From the archive record

A rare sight from the natural world, from the Jaintia hills of Meghalaya. Birdwings are butterflies in the Swallowtail family, that belong to the genera Trogonoptera, Troides, and Ornithoptera. Most recent authorities recognise 36 species, however, this is debated, and some authorities include additional genera. Birdwings are named for their exceptional size, angular wings, and birdlike flight. They are native to the Indian Subcontinent, mainland and archipelagic Southeast Asia, and Australasia. Included among the birdwings are some of the largest butterflies in the world: the largest, Queen Alexandra's Birdwing; the second largest, the Goliath Birdwing; the largest butterfly endemic to Australia, the Cairns Birdwing; and the largest butterfly in India, the Southern Birdwing. Another well-