Upupa epops (Common Hoopoe) - Sikkim Bird

Upupa epops (Common Hoopoe)

Place : Chisopani, Singtam, East Sikkim,

Date: October 15, 2014
Pic: Shital Pradhan

Scientific classification

Kingdom:       Animalia

Phylum:          Chordata

Class:              Aves

Order:            Coraciiformes

Family:           Upupidae, Leach, 1820

Genus:            Upupa, Linnaeus, 1758

Species:           U. epops

Binomial name: Upupa epops, Linnaeus, 1758

Other Names:  Common Hoopoe, Hudhud  (Arabic name). Fapharay Chara (Nepali), Rumfun fo (Lepcha)

Special feature:  Hoopoe is a national bird of Israel and one of the birds that were considered sacred in Ancient Egypt.

Hoopoe is named after onomatopoeic sound produced by the bird: oop-oop-oop.

Tree sparrow (Passer montanus - male) - Sikkim Bird

Tree sparrow (Passer montanus - male)

Place : Shantinagar, Singtam, East Sikkim,

Date: May 25, 2014
Pic: Shital Pradhan

Scientific classification

  

Kingdom:                   Animalia

Phylum:                      Chordata

Class:                         Aves

Order:                        Passeriformes

Family:                       Passeridae

Genus:                        Passer

Species:                       P. montanus

Binomial name:         Passer montanus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Other Names: Eurasian tree sparrow, tree sparrow

Special feature: The Tree Sparrow differs from the House Sparrow in having a much smaller bib and a bright chocolate brown cap. There is also a noticeable black patch on the white cheek with the back being streaky orange-brown and the bird is slightly smaller and slimmer.

Slender Anthogonium (Anthogonium gracile) - Sikkim Orchid

  Slender Anthogonium (Anthogonium gracile)

Place : Zaluk, East Sikkim
Date: September 15,  2014
Pic: Shital Pradhan

Scientific classification

Kingdom:       Plantae

Phylum:          Angiosperms

Class:             

Order:            Asparagales

Family:           Orchidaceae

Subfamily:     Epidendroideae

Tribe:             Arethuseae

Subtribe:       Bletiinae

Genus:           Anthogonium

Species:          A. gracile

Binomial name: Anthogonium gracile Wall. ex Lindl. (1836).

Other Names:  Slender Anthogonium

Special feature: “Anthogonium is a genus of orchids (family Orchidaceae). At the present time (May 2014), only one species is recognized, i.e., Anthogonium gracile found in India, Assam, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Guangxi, Guizhou, Tibet, and Yunnan”.  (Source: Wikipedia)

Banded Treebrown (Lethe confuse) - Sikkim Butterfly

Banded Treebrown (Lethe confuse)

Place : Sungdung, Rongli, East Sikkim

Date: October 4,  2014

Pic: Shital Pradhan

Scientific classification

Kingdom:       Animalia

Phylum:          Arthropoda

Class:              Insecta

Order:            Lepidoptera

Family:           Nymphalidae

Genus:            Lethe

Species:           L. confusa

Binomial name: Lethe confuse (Aurivillius, 1897)

Other Names: Banded Treebrown

Special feature: It is s found mainly in Southeast Asia and in parts of South Asia.

“This species is found in forested habitats, at altitudes between about 100-1000m. Males settle on rocks or bare earth to imbibe mineralised moisture. (http://www.learnaboutbutterflies.com)”.