Grandala     Grandala coelicolor

Etymology:

• Grandala: Latin word grandis – grand; ala – { Grand winged}

• Coelicolor: Latin word coelum – sky, heaven; color –Colour

 

Distribution in India: Resident of NW Himalayas from  Kashmir Eastwards to Bhutan and North East India (Sela Pass, in Arunachal Pradesh).

Description: Size pf 19–23 cm; weight of 38–52 g. The male is shiny royal-blue, with blackish lores, wings, tail, bill and legs. The female is brownish-grey, with slight blue wash on rump, whitish streaks on head to mantle and underparts, bold white patch at base of primaries (wingbar in flight). The juvenile is like female, but lacks bluish on rump and tail-coverts, has broader streaking below, vent almost white. 

Habitat: It breeds in rugged barren high-elevation areas far beyond tree-line, boulder-strewn alpine meadows, screes, barren rocky slopes and ridges above dwarf-scrub zone. It breeds at 3900–5500 m. It winters on rocky mountainsides and ridges, 2000–4300 m.

Food habits:  It eats insects and berries, in autumn including fruit in orchard trees. It forages mostly on ground. It is gregarious, in restless flocks, with chat-like wing-flicking and tail-flicking behaviour.

Breeding habits: They breed in May–Jul. The nest is a large cup placed on a ledge. They lay a clutch of 2 eggs.