15 Species of Jungle Birds of Urban Indian Cities

Urban jungle or an urban area created through urbanization and contrasts with natural environment, The Census of India of 2011 shows rapid rise in urban population that also causing environmental damage. In the Urban jungle we are still seeing birds flying around, Here are the list of Not so common birds of Indian cities.

Jungle Myna

Jungle Myna found across much of the Indian Subcontinent, easily recognized by pale yellow or blue eyes with crest on forehead. The jungle myna is one of the most common myna species found in India along with common myna, Pied myna,bank myna and feed mainly on insects, fruit and seeds.

Jungle Babbler

Jungle Babbler birds are always found in small groups of seven birds, also known as Seven Sisters birds and often seen in urban gardens within cities. The jungle babblers are very social birds, feed mainly on insects and are very common near towns and cities.

Jungle Crow

Indian Jungle Crow is second most common crow found across the Indian Subcontinent, distinguished from the house crow by size, color and beak.
The jungle crow is glossy all-black crow, usually seen in pairs or small groups on buildings.

Jungle Prinia

The jungle prinia is a small species of passerine bird from Warbler family and a resident breeder of India. Like most other species of warbler found in India,The prinia is also found in open grassland, gardens, scrub and
not common bird in urban gardens like ashy prinia.

Grey Hornbill

Indian Grey Hornbill is the most common hornbill species of hornbill found in the Indian subcontinent, commonly sighted in pairs around the parks and gardens. The species is mainly found above about 2000 feet but found even in Indian cities in old banyan, peepal trees.

Rufous Treepie

The rufous treepie is a member from the crow family, native to the Indian Subcontinent and found commonly in forests, open scrub as well as urban gardens. Rufous treepie feed on the fruits, reptiles, eggs and very common in palm cultivation in southern India.

Indian Roller

Indian Roller occurs widely in the Indian Subcontinent, known for beautiful blue color wings and state bird of several Indian states. The Indian roller said to be sacred bird, Not very common in the urban cities but common in plains of India.

Golden Oriole

Indian golden oriole species found in the Indian subcontinent, described as a separate species from Eurasian golden oriole. The golden oriole with more yellow and black with some stripe breed in urban parks, gardens, orchards and plantations in India.

Coppersmith Barbet

The coppersmith barbet is a resident bird of the Indian subcontinent, known for its metronomic call tuk…tuk…tuk. Coppersmith barbet always seen during the early morning and late evening on top of the trees of banyan, peepal, neem with loud sound.

Common hawk-Cuckoo

Common hawk-cuckoo also known as brainfever bird, A resident of the Indian subcontinent and are brood parasites, like many other cuckoos found in India. The hawk-cuckoo occurs in garden land, urban parks in most of the Indian subcontinent along with Asian koel and Large hawk-cuckoo.

Wire-tailed Swallow

Wire-tailed swallow is a bright blue bird always found in near water and human habitation, feed on insects, especially flies after monsoon. The swallow bird has two subspecies and a resident of India along with other species of swallow and swift birds.

Spotted Owlet

The spotted owlet is one of the species of owl found in India, found almost everywhere and a common resident of open habitats from mainland India to Southeast Asia.

Like most species of owls, like barn owl, little owl, Spotted owlet is also nocturnal and becomes active shortly before dusk, adapted to living in cities.

Flameback Woodpecker

Black-rumped flameback woodpecker found in the Indian subcontinent that are seen in urban areas along with few other species of woodpeckers of India. The lesser goldenback species normally seen in pairs in open forest and cultivation from Himalayas to Assam valley.

Long-tailed Shrike

Long-tailed shrike distributed across Indian subcontinent with some variations in plumage, found mainly in scrub and open habitats. The bird along with grey-backed shrike, feeds mostly on moths, crickets, beetles and grasshoppers.

Shikra

Shikra bird of prey is a medium sized bird, very similar in appearance to sparrowhawk species and the common hawk-cuckoo. The small raptor found in a wide range of habitats including urban jungle, parks, forest and farmland, feeds on birds, reptiles and rodents.

Few more common species of birds found in India are Green bee-Eater, Black Drongo, Spotted dove, white-throated tree kingfisher,Red-vented Bulbul, oriental magpie-robin,greater coucal, black kite and common water birds like Indian pond heron, red-wattled lapwing, common kingfisher and yellow wagtail.