The Common Birds of the Nilgiris 



bird or pigmy parrot (Loriculus vernalis). This 

 is a short-tailed bird about the size of a sparrow. 

 It is grass green in colour, save for the red 

 beak, a large crimson patch on the rump, and a 

 small blue patch on the throat. This species 

 does not obtrude itself on the observer. It is 

 seen in cages more often than in a state of 

 nature. It sleeps with the head hanging down 

 after the manner of bats, hence Finn calls this 

 pretty little bird the bat-parrot. 



THE STRIGID^E OR OWL FAMILY 



Owls, like woodpeckers, do not patronise the 

 Nilgiris very largely. The only owl that com- 

 monly makes itself heard on those moun- 

 tains is the brown wood-owl (Syrnium indrani). 

 This is the bird which perches on the roof of 

 the house at night and calls to-whoo. 



Occasionally, especially round about Ootaca- 

 mund, the grunting ur-ur-ur-ur of the brown 

 fish-owl (Ketupa ceylonensis) disturbs the silence 

 of the night on the Nilgiris. 



THE VULTURID^E OR VULTURE FAMILY 



Only four species of vulture occur on the 

 hills of South India. One of these is the smaller 



