India on Birding Blog of Debo

A Journey to Photograph Every Drongo Species in India

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 04:58:48 +0000

Drongos belong to the family Dicruridae and are found across the entire Indian Subcontinent. Whether it’s a mountain or desert, island or jungle, they are practically omnipresent; you can find at least one species in almost any habitat.

I didn’t start with a specific target of photographing all 9 species of drongos found in India, but along my bird-watching journey, it came together nicely. One might say drongos are “easy” birds to get, but sometimes the easy ones become the toughest to find. If I had to rank the Indian drongo species by difficulty—from hardest to easiest—my list would look like this:

Western Marsh Harrier: A Tough Harrier for me to Photograph

Thu, 25 Dec 2025 22:21:34 +0530

The Western Marsh Harrier is one of the most elegant birds of prey to visit India during the winter months, and for me, finally photographing it felt like the perfect way to end the year.

When I first started bird photography, harriers were a mystery to me. I initially learned about them through the Merlin Bird ID app, where my introduction was the Pied Harrier, a species relatively common in my area. As I explored further, I discovered the Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)—a large, powerful raptor associated with wetlands and grasslands. From that moment, I was determined to photograph one.

Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher: A Sudden Encounter - Flycatcher Series 2

Sat, 29 Nov 2025 12:46:04 +0000

Introduction

The Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher (Ficedula strophiata) is a small, active passerine native to the montane forests of the Himalayas and Southeast Asia. This bird possesses a hidden beauty from which it gets its scientific name “strophiata,” derived from the Ancient Greek word strophios, referring to a breastband or chest cord.

Identification

Male birds have olive-brown or slate-grey upperparts, a black face mask, a white supercilium and forehead, a prominent rufous-orange throat gorget (expandable in displays), white underparts, and a black tail with white outer bases. Females are comparatively duller, with a paler gorget, a less distinct white brow, and a slate-grey lower breast.

Nilgiri Flycatcher - Flycatcher Series 1

Sun, 16 Nov 2025 06:47:13 +0000

Introduction

Hello Amazing Bird lovers, from today we are starting a new series on the flycatchers of India. In this series we are going to explore awesome fkycatcher species that can be found in India. I first learned about the Nilgiri flycatcher from a YouTube video, and honestly, I was instantly captivated by its glowing indigo-blue plumage. That quick glimpse was enough to make me determined to see this bird in real life. This happened in mid-2023, around the same time a friend of mine was staying in Bangalore. He happened to visit Munnar and shared a stunning photograph of this flycatcher, which only intensified my interest and made the urge to spot it even stronger.

🦜 Evolutionary History of Indian Parakeets (Psittaculla)

Sun, 28 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Exploring the evolutionary history, dispersal, and adaptation of Indian parakeets (Psittacula) across South Asia and the Indian Ocean.

🦉 The Eastern Barn Owl in India: Secrets of Tyto javanica stertens

Sat, 13 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Discover the Eastern Barn Owl (Tyto javanica stertens) in India—its unique traits, fascinating history, and the important role it plays in agriculture.