Asian koel is medium sized (almost as big as a crow) bird with a distinct call. The asian koel has an ascending “koooo” call that can frequently be heard on summer days right from the morning. The male koel is fully black whereas the female has a grey body with white stripes. Koels never build nests. They lay their eggs in other bird’s nests because of which they are also known as brood parasites. You can see koels often sitting on treetops around the city.

Eurasian collared doves are pigeon sized birds that are fully grey in colour but have a black band around their necks. Collared doves are very common and can be seen sitting on wires all throughout cities. Collared doves are also known for forming very strong pairs. Once a dove mates, that pair will stay for life. Doves normally feed on seeds, grains and occasionally will also eat insects and worms. Most often you will spot doves in pairs but when food is spotted you can even see them in flocks of 10-50 birds.

Shikra is a small bird of prey that can be seen in forest, fields and urban areas. The male shikra has greyish white body and dull greyish blue wings whereas the female has a white and light brown striated body. Shikras are known to be tenacious hunters and feed on small snakes, rodents, squirrels and tiny birds too. I have seen shikras around the large trees in the open fields of the CSD depot and on treetops around my house.

A black kite is a large brown bird that is normally seen flying high up in the sky. Black kites have a striated body with a large wingspan and black eyes. They have sharp talons and a curved, sharp, pointy beak which they use to tear flesh. They feed on rodents and squirrels around city areas. Large groups of kites can be seen circling the sky above areas like slaughter houses and dumpyards. They can also be seen perched on electricity towers and light posts in the city. They also have a loud and shrill call. Black kites can be identified by their forked tail which they use to navigate their way through the sky.

Jungle babbler is a medium sized, (slightly smaller than a myna) light brown bird with a yellow beak that can be seen hopping around in bushes. I have seen this bird around the backyard, cage and key stage 3 areas of our school. They are normally spotted in groups of 7-10 and have a loud call that I have heard many Sunday afternoons. Babblers normally feed on insects they find on the ground and on trees. Since they are seen in groups of seven they are also referred to as the seven sisters.

The laughing dove is a pigeon sized bird that gets it’s name because of it’s call. It is a peach coloured bird with an orange and grey wings, and an orange and black, spotted neck. You can see these birds sitting on wires around the city. They can also be seen feeding on seeds on the ground. This act is known as foraging. I have seen this bird near the entrance of our school, feeding on the compound wall.

Red wattled lapwing is a chicken sized bird with longer legs. It is a white bird with black and brown wings and gets its name because of a red, fleshy structure (wattle) on top of their beaks. In gujarati these birds are called ‘titoodi’ because of it’s call. You can frequently see these birds near shores of waterbodies or on muddy areas. This is because they build their nests on the grounds. I have seen this bird on the Safal ground and behind the apartment, next to our school.

The rock pigeon is a medium sized bird which is also known as the common pigeon and rock dove. It has a full grey body with hints of green and blue on the neck. Pigeons can be seen anywhere in Ahmedabad from your balcony to the streets. Pigeons are very fast flyers and are very smart too. They can recognise themselves and also mate for life. Although adult pigeons are seen everywhere, there are chances you may never see a baby pigeon. This is because baby pigeons do not leave the nest until they are several weeks old.

The grey francolin is a small member of the quail family. They have a grey and white body with black stripes on the belly and white strips all over the upper parts. They are very shy birds and will run away if you get close to them. They can often be seen in small groups foraging in open fields. I have seen these birds roaming around CSD depot.

The rufous treepie is a medium to large bird with a long tail. As the name states, it is an orange bird with brown, black and white head, wings and tails. The treepie is skilled mimic that can make calls of different birds to steal food from other animals and also scavenge food from near human settlements. They can be seen on trees or can be identified in their flight by their long tail.

The purple sunbird is a small bird with a long curved beak that allows them to drink nectar from flowers. The male sunbird has an iridescent blue-black body whereas the female has a brown body with yellow underparts. They can be seen hopping around flowering trees and can hover for brief periods of time. Sunbirds in India are not to be confused with hummingbirds that can only be found only in America.

White throated kingfisher is a small bird with a large beak. It has bright,blue wings with a brown body and a white throat giving the bird it’s name. It is a skilled fisher and dives into the water when it spots a fish. Unlike other kingfishers, the white throated kingfisher can be seen in gardens and also feeds on other animals like frogs, lizards and crabs. I have often seen these birds sitting on trees in our school campus and can also be seen on perches near water bodies.

The golden oriole is a myna sized bird with a bright yellow plumage and black eyes and wings. Golden orioles are considered to be very secretive birds and tend to stay on top of high tree canopies. They can often be heard at dawn singing their fluting whistle. I have seen golden orioles outside the grade 12 classroom and the readery of our school.

The wire-tailed swallow is a small, sleek bird with shiny blue feathers on its back, a white underside, and a bright chestnut-colored cap. Its most striking feature is the pair of long, thin wire-like tail feathers that trail behind it in flight. These birds are fast and graceful flyers, often seen near water bodies catching insects mid-air. They build neat mud nests on bridges or under roofs. Their chirping calls and quick flight make them easy to spot in open areas.

Indian white eyes also known as oriental white eyes are tiny birds with a yellow body and white a white rings around their eyes and a white under body. They can often be seen in small groups on trees and plants around your gardens and in forest areas. They mainly feed on insects but also drink nectar and feed on small fruits. You can also hear them call while they forage.

The Indian robi is a small black bird with an orange patch under their tail. Robins are bush birds and can often be seen in undergrowth or small trees. They feed on seeds, small fruits and even insects. Did you know for many people robins represent a spiritual connection with loved ones who have passed away. I have seen Indian robins around the sleeping forest and in large undergrowth of the CSD depot.

The common hawk cuckoo is a medium sized bird with a grey back and wings, and a white under body with an orange pattern. The common hawk cuckoo is also known as the brainfever bird because of its loud call that sounds like its yelling ‘brainfever-brainfever’. The common hawk cuckoo is usually found on treetops and comes down to feed on caterpillars. I have seen and heard this bird around the large trees near the Safal ground near our school.

The Jacobins cuckoo also known as the pied cuckoo is a winter migrant from Africa. It gets its name (pied) beacuse of it’s black and white body. The bird also has a long tail and a distinct crest on its head. The jacobin cuckoo has a loud ‘piu-piu’ call that can be heard during their breeding seasons. Similar to other cuckoos the Jacobin cuckoo can be spotted on large treetops which is why I was able to spot this bird outside the IT lab and makers space area of our school.

The spotted owlet is a small, round-headed owl with bright yellow eyes and white spots on its grey-brown feathers. It is often seen peeping out of tree holes or abandoned buildings during the day. Unlike most owls, it is partly active in the evening and early morning. Its call is a sharp screech or chuckle that can be heard at night. Spotted owlets usually live in pairs and are known for turning their heads almost completely around to look in different directions.

The Indian grey hornbill is a large-sized bird with a curved grey beak topped by a black casque. Its body is grey with a long tail tipped in white. Hornbills are often seen flying with heavy, noisy wingbeats or perched high in large trees. They feed mainly on fruits but also eat insects and small reptiles. Their loud, cackling calls are often heard early in the morning. These birds nest in tree cavities, and the female stays sealed inside while the male brings her food through a narrow slit. Due to urbanization, a lot of large trees have been cut down which would have been home to hornbills. This has made their sightings a bit more rare.

The Indian silverbill is a small bird (smaller than a house sparrow) with a light brown body with whitish under parts and a shiny silver coloured beak. This bird also has a conical beak which allows ease while eating seeds. This bird had built a nest on the tree outside our school’s physics lab and was spotted there. Their nest is made with dry leaves, thin twigs, cotton and feathers. The nest has a spherical shape. The silverbill can be seen in large groups on open fields in groups of up to 80 birds.

Ashy prinia also known as ashy wren warbler is a small bird with a whitish-yellow underbody and an ashy-grey back. They are a common bushbirds that can be seen in gardens on bush tops making loud calls. I have seen Ashy prinias in the undergrowth of the sleeping forests. Ashy prinias feed on tiny insects, larvae and even drink flower nectar. These small birds can be attracted to our gardens by avoiding the use of pesticides and insecticides.

Black headed ibis is a large bird with an even larger beak. It is a white bird with a black head and neck and a long curved beak that aids the bird while foraging. The black headed ibis also has very long legs. They also travel in large flocks and can cover large distances at once. I have seen these birds sitting on lightposts near riverfront and feeding in the open fields of csd depot during rains.

An oriental magpie robin is a small-medium, black and white bird with a loud song that you can hear many mornings. The male robin has a black body with white wings and a white underbody. The female has the same body except a grey head. Did you know that the magpie robin is the national bird of Bangladesh? These birds can be seen on trees around the city and in small trees in front yards of homes in the city too. Magpie robins feed on small insects, dragonflies and can even drink flower nectar.

The greenish warbler is a small, lively bird with olive-green feathers on its back and pale underparts. It has a thin, pointed beak that helps it catch tiny insects among leaves and branches. These birds are very active and are often seen fluttering quickly through trees in search of food. Their soft, high-pitched song is pleasant but hard to locate. The greenish warbler is a migratory species, visiting India during the winter months before returning to its breeding grounds in the Himalayas and beyond.

The scally breasted munia is a small bird (smaller than a house sparrow) with a thick, conical beak. This kind of bill is seen amongst most seed eating birds. It is called a scally breasted munia because of the black scales seen across the white chest. It has a dark maroonish-brown upper body and can be seen in large groups of up to 40 munias. I had spotted this bird on the bamboo of the school’s courtyard. They can also be spotted sitting on wires in large open fields.

The coppersmith barbet (Psilopogon haemacephalus), also called crimson-breasted barbet and coppersmith, is an Asian barbet with crimson forehead and throat, known for its metronomic call that sounds similar to a coppersmith striking metal with a hammer. It is a resident bird in the Indian subcontinent and parts of Southeast Asia. It carves out holes inside a tree to build its nest. It is predominantly frugivorous, but has been observed eating insects, especially winged termites.

The rose-ringed parakeet (Psittacula krameri), also known as the ringneck parrot (in aviculture) or the Kramer parrot, is a medium-sized parrot in the genus Psittacula, of the family Psittacidae. It has disjunct native ranges in Africa and the Indian Subcontinent, and is now introduced into many other parts of the world where feral populations have established themselves and are bred for the exotic pet trade.

The red-naped ibis (Pseudibis papillosa) also known as the Indian black ibis or black ibis is a species of ibis found in the plains of the Indian Subcontinent. Unlike other ibises in the region it is not very dependent on water and is often found in dry fields a good distance away from water. It is usually seen in loose groups and can be told by the nearly all dark body with a white patch on the shoulder and a bare dark head with a patch of crimson red warty skin on the crown and nape. It has a loud call and is noisy when breeding. It builds its nest most often on the top of a large tree or palm.

The Oriental magpie-robin (Copsychus saularis) is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but now considered an Old World flycatcher. They are distinctive black and white birds with a long tail that is held upright as they forage on the ground or perch conspicuously. Occurring across most of the Indian subcontinent and parts of Southeast Asia, they are common birds in urban gardens as well as forests. They are particularly well known for their songs and were once popular as cagebirds.

The large-billed crow, formerly referred to widely as the jungle crow, is a widespread Asian species of crow. It is very adaptable and is able to survive on a wide range of food sources, making it capable of colonizing new areas.

The black-rumped flameback (Dinopium benghalense), also known as the lesser golden-backed woodpecker or lesser goldenback, is a woodpecker found widely distributed in the Indian subcontinent. It is one of the few woodpeckers that are seen in urban areas. It has a characteristic rattling-whinnying call and an undulating flight. It is the only golden-backed woodpecker with a black throat and a black rump.

The Eurasian collared dove is a species of dove native to warm temperate and subtropical Asia and it can be found from Southeast Asia through to Western Europe. The dove can breed almost throughout the year except for the mid-winters when breeding declines. Its monotonous cooing makes it one of the noisiest birds and can be found all year round.

The greater coucal or crow pheasant is a large non- parasitic member of the cuckoo order of birds, the Cuculiformes. It is a widespread resident of the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. The Coucal was sighted in December. However, it is a rather secretive bird that is often concealed into dense vegetation. It is usually found singly or in pairs and breeds during the monsoon season.

It is a small bird with overall greenish yellow color. Underparts are yellow in shade with males having a black cap on head. Wings are blackish with white stripes. These birds forage in trees in small groups and mainly feed on insects. They can be found in urban gardens and forests.

It is a glossy black bird with distinct forked tail. It feeds on insects and is commonly found in farmlands, jungles and urban gardens. These birds are known for their aggressive behavior and tend to protect their nests from larger invading birds.

The cattle egret is a cosmopolitan species of heron that is originally native to Asia, Africa and Europe. It breeds between the months of May and June. The cattle egret removes ticks and flies from cattle and consumes them. The bird was sighted in June but can be found all around the year.

The Sind sparrow is a passerine bird of the sparrow family, Passeridae, found around the Indus valley region in South Asia. It is also known as the jungle, Sind jungle, or rufous-backed sparrow. Very similar to the related house sparrow, it is smaller and has distinguishing plumage features

The house sparrow is a bird of the sparrow family Passeridae, found in most parts of the world. It is a small bird that has a typical length of 16 cm and a mass of 24–39.5 g. Females and young birds are coloured pale brown and grey, and males have brighter black, white, and brown markings.

The Indian golden oriole is a species of oriole found in the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia. The species was formerly considered to be a subspecies of the Eurasian golden oriole, but is now considered a full species.

The Common Myna bird has adopted with urban city habitats just like the House Sparrow. It has a brown body, black hooded head and the bare yellow patch behind the eye. The bill and legs are bright yellow. There is a white patch on the outer wings and the wing undersides are white in colour. These birds are very vocal and can be found mostly in pairs.

The Indian peafowl is a species of peafowl that is native to South Asia and is the national bird of India. The peahen breed during the monsoon season are often found “dancing” in the rain. They are one of the largest flying birds and their length can reach upto 5 feet. The peahen was spotted in September, but can be found all around the year.

The budgerigar is a small, long-tailed, seed-eating parrot usually nicknamed the budgie, or in American English, the parakeet. Budgies are the only species in the genus Melopsittacus. Naturally, the species is green and yellow with black, scalloped markings on the nape, back, and wings.

It is a small bird with curved bill which aid in nectar feeding on the flowers. Males are glossy purple black on the upperparts with dark brown wings. Females are olive brown in color with yellowish underparts having a pale yellow supercilium. These birds are found in flowering gardens in urban cities and forests and are generally in pairs or small groups.

The red-wattled lapwing species are distributed in the Indian subcontinent, southeast Asia, southwest and southcentral Asia and China. Their breeding season is between the months of March and August. The red-wattled lapwing male and female are similar in plumage. Their call is a loud, raucous, creaking and strident. It was spotted in August.

The yellow-billed babbler is native to southern India and Sri Lanka. This species is not migratory and is usually seen calling and foraging in groups. It is known to live in flocks of seven to ten or more. Nests of the babbler are seen round the year but the peak breeding season is from March to November. It was spotted in August but some birds can be found throughout the year.