Common Birds: List & Tips for Identification

A comprehensive list of the common birds described in the subsequent posts is given in the table below. The description of the birds provided herewith has been taken from the eleventh edition of “The Book of Indian Birds” by Salim Ali, published by Bombay Natural History Society in 1979.

	Common English Name	Scientific Name
1	Asian Pied Starling	Gracupica contra
2	House Sparrow	Passer domesticus
3	Red-vented Bulbul	Pycnonotus cafer
4	House Crow	Corvus splendens
5	Indian Myna	Acridotheres tristis
6	Black Drongo	Dicrurus macrocercus
7	White throated Kingfisher	Halcyon smyrnensis
8	Blue Jay	Coracias benghalensis
9	Small Green Bee-eater	Merops orientalis
10	Blackheaded Oriole	Oriolus xanthornus
11	Blue throated Barbet	Psilopogon asiaticus
12	Koel	Eudynamys scolopaceus
13	Spotted Dove	Streptopelia chinensis
14	Red-wattled Lapwing	Vanellus indicus
15	Common Pariah Kite	Milvus migrans
16	Paddy Bird	Ardeola grayii
17	Little Egret	Egretta garzetta

TIPS ON USING INTERNET TO IDENTIFY BIRDS

1.Using Google Search

• Type ‘google search by image’ on the google search bar 
• Go to the first link or visit https://www.google.com/imghp?hl=en 
• Click on the camera icon in the search bar 
• Upload relevant image from your computer 
• Google searches the image from its database to identify the specimen

2. Using Google Lens on Android Phone

• Download and install Google Lens app from Playstore 
• Open Lens app 
• Point at the specimen you need to identify and click on search button 
• Google searches the image from its database to identify the specimen

3. Android App for Bird identification

• Download and install Internet of Birds app from Playstore. This app has been developed by Bombay Natural History Society 
• Open IoB app 
• Tap on the camera icon 
• Point your camera at nearby bird and tap to capture its photo or pick an existing bird image from your image gallery to identify it.