Kingfisher

A small body of water and the surrounding tall grasses attract several birds, including this bright kingfisher. The region, near Delhi, India, is a protected wetland and several species of migratory birds can be found here every winter.

Perched

Sultanpur National Park in northern India is one of the best places in the country to spot several species of migratory and local birds, including this small bird perched on a tree in the park.

(Submitted to the Daily Post’s Weekly Photo Challenge: “Earth“)

Wingspan

Sultanpur National Park, a small nature reserve in the northern part of India, is an excellent place to observe several different species of local and migratory birds.

Painted Storks such as this one are one of the largest bird species found in the park. They can have wingspans as wide as five feet and can weigh up to 3.5 kilograms. Their bright orange heads and beaks make them easy to spot. While many storks are migratory, this particular species isn’t. Painted storks are mostly found in marshy wetlands across South Asia, and also in some places in Eastern Asia.

Pigeon

The population of pigeons in my city has grown exponentially in the past decade or so. All day, every day, hundreds of the grey birds can be seen. They are usually either flying around in groups or standing seemingly aimlessly on roads, ledges, windowsills or whatever else they find. In recent years, the pigeons have spent a lot of time in close proximity with humans, and they have therefore grown bolder. They are now more difficult to shoo away, and have become pests in many areas with their croaking and tendency to leave a trail of unsightly green-and-white masses behind them.

In this photograph, a pigeon is standing on the ledge of my balcony and stretching. While doing so, the normally unobserved structure of the pigeon’s wing comes into view.

(Submitted to the Daily Post’s Weekly Photo Challenge: “Earth“)