Common Birds of Western Himalayas 



same way as a wagtail does, calling his wings 

 to his assistance when chasing a particularly 

 nimble creature. He has the habit of frequently 

 expanding his tail. This species utters a loud 

 and pleasant call, also a shrill cry like that of 

 the spotted-forktail. All torrent-haunting 

 birds are in the habit of uttering such a note ; 

 indeed it is no easy task to distinguish between 

 the alarm notes of the various species that 

 frequent mountain streams. 



Of very different habits is the black-headed 

 sibia (Liopila cafistrata). This species is 

 strictly arboreal. As mentioned previously, it 

 is often found in company with flocks of tits 

 and other gregarious birds. It feeds on insects, 

 which it picks off the leaves of trees. Its 

 usual call is a harsh twitter. It is a reddish 

 brown bird, rather larger than a bulbul, with 

 a black-crested head. There is a white bar 

 on the wing. 



The Indian white-eye (Zosterops palbebrosa) 

 is not at all like any of the babblers hitherto 

 described. In size, appearance, and habits, it 

 approximates closely to the tits, with which it 

 often consorts. Indeed, Jerdon calls the bird 

 the white- eyed tit. It occurs in all well-wooded 

 parts of the country, both in the plains and 



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