Common Birds of Western Himalayas 



being in appearance not unlike small pheasants. 

 Two species grace the Himalayas : the red-billed 

 (JJrocissa occipitalis) and the yellow-billed 

 blue-magpie (U. fiavirostris). These are dis- 

 tinguishable one from the other mainly by the 

 colour of the beak. A blue-magpie is a bird 

 over 2 feet in length, of which the fine tail 

 accounts for three-fourths. The head, neck, 

 and breast are black, and the remainder of the 

 plumage is a beautiful blue with handsome 

 white markings. It is quite unnecessary to 

 describe the blue-magpie in detail. It is im- 

 possible to mistake it. Even a blind man 

 cannot fail to notice it because of its loud 

 ringing call. East of Simla the red-billed 

 species is by far the commoner, while to the 

 west the yellow-billed form rules the roost. 

 The vernacular names for the blue-magpie are 

 Nilkhant at Mussoorie and Dig-dall at Simla. 



The Himalayan tree-pie {Dendrocitta hima- 

 layensis'), although a fine bird, looks mean in 

 comparison with his blue cousins. This species 

 is like a dull edition of the tree-pie of the 

 plains. It is dressed like a quaker. It is 

 easily recognised when on the wing. Its flight 

 is very characteristic, consisting of a few rapid 

 flaps of the pinions followed by a sail on out- 



31 



