Hills — Clipahoy

Kalij Pheasant breeding pair of male and female forage for insects and seeds among ferns on hillside, in Mussoorie

Uttarakhand·hills · forest

A Kalij Pheasant breeding pair of male and female birds forage for insects and seeds among ferns on a moist early monsoon hillside at the wildfilmsindia estate in Motidhar, Mussoorie.

Brilliant blue against forest green! This pretty bird a Verditer Flycatcher - a lovely hill resident

birds · hills

The brilliant blue plumage shines in the summer sunshine of the Himalaya, offset by the green forest hues behind. A prettier bird one cannot possibly behold than the Verditer Flycatcher!

Green backed Tit dries up after a dip into our stream at Motidhar in the Himalaya, in Mussoorie

Uttarakhand·river · hills

After a nice summer-time dip into our Bindal-Rispana stream at the wildfilmsindia Pari Tibba estate at Motidhar in Mussoorie, this Green-backed Tit fluffs up its feathers, preens and tries to dry up to move on with the rest of its day, and…

Mountain Hawk Eagle with jaunty head crest sits atop Cheer Pine tree at Motidhar in Mussoorie

Uttarakhand·hills · forest

A real mountain predator - the Mountain Hawk Eagle sits here with its jaunty head crest atop Chir Pine tree at the wildfilmsindia forested Estate at Motidhar in Mussoorie in the Uttarakhand Himalaya.

Breeding display by male Kalij Pheasant in dark dense Himalayan forest, on a spring evening

hills · forest

Spring-time and it's breeding and mating time for these Kaleej Pheasants at our wildfilmsindia wildlife sanctuary in the Himalaya.

Grey-winged Blackbird is a smart well dressed thrush-like bird, with the nicest most melodious calls, in Mussoorie

Uttarakhand·birds · hills

With a Hill Barbet and a Blue-throated Barbet calling, and a Rufous Sibia too, a Grey-winged Blackbird takes full advantage of the display of Rhododendron flower heads before it, above our Bindal stream at Motidhar Estate in Mussoorie.

Cute little Whiskered Yuhina feeds wild yellow berries to its chicks

hills · wildlife

Are those hishalu or wild Himalayan raspberry that the Yuhina is feeding her chicks? The nest is concealed with moss and Erigeron daisies grow around it, even as a Himalayan Barbet creates a racket with its loud piercing calls.

Most beautiful trilling caller in Himalaya: Verditer Flycatcher warbles its call loudly in spring

birds · hills

The most beautiful trilling caller in the Himalaya, surely, the Verditer Flycatcher warbles its call loudly in spring, sitting atop an Oak tree, with a Hill Barbet calling out closely as well.

Blue Whistling Thrush: handsome Himalayan bird with spangled violet plumage

birds · hills

The Blue Whistling Thrush (Myophonus caeruleus) gets its name from its very human-like whistle of a call. Often seen jumping off the edge of a mountain road, this a a common and familiar Himalayan bird.

A pair of Spotted Forktails by a mountain spring at sanctuary

hills · forest

A pair of Spotted Forktails (Enicurus maculatus) preen themselves and look for insects below leaves near a spring in the Himalaya.

Black on red sharp colour contrast: Black Bulbul, Grey-winged Blackbird feast on Rhododendrons, in Darjeeling

West Bengal·birds · flowers

What sharp black on red colour contrast, as a range of Himalayan birds feast on Rhododendron flower nectar and petals.

Lesser Yellow-naped Woodpecker shows off its lovely flash of yellow behind the head, in Jabbarkhet

Uttarakhand·birds · hills

Seen at Jabbarkhet, the Yellow-naped Woodpecker is rarely seen around Landour Mussoorie - this is one of those unusual sightings on an Oak or Quercus incana tree (baanj), around the Wilderness Orchard and botanical gardens.

Himalayan Tree Pie, a shy retiring corvid crow like forest bird is not often seen near hill stations

hills · wildlife

Having bathed in our little stream, this Himalayan Tree Pie dries off and preens on a twig nearby.

Perky jocular White-cheeked Bulbul with crest signifies the Himalayan or hill sub-species of Bulbul, in Jabbarkhet

Uttarakhand·hills · birds

A pair of perky cheery White-cheeked Bulbuls sit atop a shrub and call out and survey their domain, at the wildfilmsindia Jabbarkhet wildlife sanctuary.

Himalayan Whistling Thrush is whistling school-boy of mountains, with yellow beak, perky demeanour

birds · hills

Himalayan Whistling Thrush is the whistling school-boy of the mountains, with its yellow-orange beak, white streaks, blue-black feather coat and perky demeanour! A common bird seen around hill station towns, it squeals and whistles its way…

Blue-bearded Bee-eater climbs up into the Himalaya and sets a new altitude record

hills

The natter Blue-bearded Bee-eater wears a bib of sky blue and sits on a mossy branch high above the plains which is its normal and regular habitat.

Dumpy little bird with multiple hues: Himalayan Mewli Hill Barbet is a common bird in the mountains

birds · hills

If you have spent time around hill stations and the lower hills, you would have heard the plaintive repetitive 'piao piao' calles of the cute Mewli of the Hill Barbet of the Himalaya.

Himalayan White-cheeked Bulbul sits atop at tree to look around

hills · birds

Himalayan White-cheeked Bulbul looks around and surveys its surroundings whilst sitting on a thin branch.

Caught in the act: Himalayan Pied Woodpecker eats up all our walnuts while they are still green

hills · birds

We kept wondering why we kept losing the walnuts on our trees. Then we caught this lovely little thief in the act! This Himalayan Pied Woodpecker and more of its kin gorge on these green morsels before the fruit even reaches maturity.

Black-headed Jay sits atop a tree as the wind ruffles its feathers

hills

Black-headed Jay sits on the branches on top of a tree in the Himalaya as the mountain wind ruffles its feathers. The Black-headed Jay has a wide range of foods it consumes.

One of the most common (and cute) hill station birds of the Himalaya: Streaked Laughing Thrush calls

birds · hills

What a lovely challenging yet cheery call this Laughing Thrush has, as it sits on a branch and establishes its territory, while taking preening breaks in between calling out! With a tone of familiarity, we have nick-named this common and fr…

Deep Turquoise blue-green bird in our Himalayan forests can only be the lovely Verditer Flycatcher!

birds · hills

If you have ever seen this cute little deep turquoise bird, than it can only be the Verditer that you have beholden and been privileged to see! The most beautiful trilling caller in the Himalaya, surely, the Verditer Flycatcher warbles its…

Rare sighting of Golden or Small-billed Mountain Thrush

birds · hills

This bird collecting nesting material seems to be the Golden or Small-billed Mountain Thrush but please do correct us if we have made an error in identification.