SIRKEER MALKOHA

Katerniaghat- 6th May 2008, 6:00 AM - I along with my jungle partners Sameer , Shekher and Manaswi had just entered the Bundha Road , when from a distance I saw a bird basking in the morning sun, it looked like a coucal, but noticing the striking Red Bill my first instinct was to take the photo of the bird , at this I was successful and then going through the Bird Book found that the Bird was a Sirkeer Malkoha , it was a first one for me.

Sirkeer Malkoha - A larger bird of around 42cm. Primarily earthy brown and rufus in colour, and the long heavy tail is edged with prominently white tipped graduated cross-rayed tail feathers , with a close resemblance to that of a Coucal (Crow Pheasant) . Bill is hooked, bright cherry-red and yellow. Sexes are similar, but juveniles are duller and barred above.

Habitat: Largely terrestrial, open scrub and thorn jungle, deciduous secondary jungle. Singly or in pairs. Behaviour: Stalks about amongst thickets like Crow-Pheasant, searching for food; insects, lizards, fallen fruits and berries, etc. . Feeble flier, but ascends trees rapidly, hopping from branch to branch with great agility, like the Coucal. Call: Sharp loud "kek-kek-kek-kerek-kerek-kerek.