Lanius tephronotus (Grey-backed shrike) - Sikkim Bird

Lanius tephronotus (Grey-backed shrike)

Venue: Chisopani, Singtam, East Sikkim

Date: November 20, 2014

Pic: Shital Pradhan

Scientific classification

Kingdom:       Animalia

Phylum:          Chordata

Class:              Aves

Order:            Passeriformes

Family:           Laniidae

Genus:            Lonchura

Species:           Lanius

Binomial name: Lanius tephronotus (Vigors, 1831)

Other Names:  grey-backed shrike, Tibetan Shrike, etc

Special feature: Among the shrikes, they breed at the highest altitude.  (Source: Wikipedia)

Redbase Jezebel (Delias pasithoe) - Sikkim Butterfly

Redbase Jezebel (Delias pasithoe)

Place : Shantinagar, Singtam, East Sikkim,

Date: October 18, 2014
Pic: Shital Pradhan

Scientific classification

Kingdom:             Animalia

Phylum:                Arthropoda

Class:                    Insecta

Order:                   Lepidoptera

Family:                  Pieridae

Genus:                   Delias

Species:                  D. pasithoe

Binomial name:    Delias pasithoe (Linnaeus, 1767)

Other Names: Redbase Jezebel

Special feature: The species is found in parts of South Asia and Southeast Asia.

Redspot Jezebel (Delias descombesi ) - Sikkim Butterfly

Redspot Jezebel  (Delias descombesi - female)

Place : Shantinagar, Singtam, East Sikkim,

Date: October 18, 2014
Pic: Shital Pradhan

Scientific classification

Kingdom:             Animalia

Phylum:               Arthropoda

Class:                    Insecta

Order:                  Lepidoptera

Family:                 Pieridae

Genus:                  Delias

Species:                 D. descombesi

Binomial name:    Delias descombesi  (Boisduval, 1836)

Other Names: Redspot Jezebel

Special feature: The male is white on the upperside while the female is black dusted on the upperside forewings

Painted Jezebel (Delias hyparete) - Sikkim Butterfly

Painted Jezebel (Delias hyparete)

Place : Shantinagar, Singtam, East Sikkim,

Date: May 25, 2014
Pic: Shital Pradhan

Scientific classification

Kingdom:             Animalia

Phylum:               Arthropoda

Class:                    Insecta

Order:                  Lepidoptera

Family:                 Pieridae

Genus:                  Delias

Species:                 D. hyparete

Binomial name:    Delias hyparete (Linnaeus, 1758)

Other Names: Painted Jezebel

Special feature:  The Painted Jezebel is white above, with the veins dusted in the outer areas.  The female is more heavily dusted with black than the male.  The basal half of the underside of the hindwing is bright yellow and the termen has a bright red marginal border.  The veins are dusted with black.

It is believed that the brightly coloured underside serves as a warning pattern to predatory animals. (http://www.butterflycircle.org)

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.