The following is a list of birds found in and around Bengaluru in Karnataka, India. The Nandi Hills, Bannerghatta forest ranges and the Kaveri valley/Sangam area are included in addition to the Bengaluru city limits roughly extending 40 kilometres around the city centre (General Post Office). The area has been studied from early times due to its climate and accessibility during the Colonial period. This list also includes annotations. This list is largely based on an annotated checklist published in 1994. The family placement and sequence of families is based on the IOC world bird list (version 2.9).
Galliformes
Family: Phasianidae
Grey francolin, Francolinus pondicerianus (breeding resident on outskirts) Common quail, Coturnix coturnix (rare, not seen since 2013) Rain quail, Coturnix coromandelica (rare, still common at Hesaraghatta and Maidenahalli areas) Jungle bush quail, Perdicula asiatica (breeding resident on outskirts) Rock bush quail, Perdicula argoondah (common at Maidenahalli region) Painted bush quail, Perdicula erythrorhyncha (rare, no recent records from Bengaluru) Red spurfowl, Galloperdix spadicea (rare) Painted spurfowl, Galloperdix lunulata (rare) Grey junglefowl, Gallus sonneratii (breeding resident) Indian peafowl, Pavo cristatus (breeding resident)
Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Fulvous whistling duck, Dendrocygna bicolor (vagrant, mostly from old records. However, new sightings have surfaced) Lesser whistling duck, Dendrocygna javanica Greylag goose, Anser anser Bar-headed goose, Anser indicus Ruddy shelduck, Tadorna ferruginea (historic) Knob-billed duck, Sarkidiornis melanotos (rare) Cotton pygmy goose, Nettapus coromandelianus Gadwall, Mareca strepera Eurasian wigeon, Mareca penelope Indian spot-billed duck, Anas poecilorhyncha Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata Northern pintail, Anas acuta Garganey, Spatula querquedula Common teal, Anas crecca Common pochard, Aythya ferina Ferruginous duck, Aythya nyroca (unconfirmed record from Hesaraghatta, possibly in error)
Podicipediformes
Family: Podicipedidae Little grebe, Tachybaptus ruficollis
Phoenicopteriformes
Family: Phoenicopteridae Greater flamingo, Phoenicopterus roseus (vagrant. A flock of about 6 individuals recorded at Hoskote lake in September 2019) Lesser flamingo, Phoenicopterus minor (vagrant, historic)
Ciconiiformes
Family: Ciconiidae
Painted stork, Mycteria leucocephala Asian openbill, Anastomus oscitans Asian woolly-necked stork, Ciconia episcopus White stork, Ciconia ciconia (rare, no recent records in the area for over 6–7 years) Black stork, Ciconia nigra (winter visitor) Black-necked stork, Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus (could possibly be in error) Lesser adjutant, Leptoptilos javanicus (records north and south of Bengaluru, in Mysore and Chikkballapur)
Pelecaniformes
Family: Threskiornithidae Glossy ibis, Plegadis falcinellus Black-headed ibis, Threskiornis melanocephalus Red-naped ibis, Pseudibis papillosa Eurasian spoonbill, Platalea leucorodia
Family: Ardeidae
Little egret, Egretta garzetta Western reef egret, Egretta gularis (rare) Grey heron, Ardea cinerea Purple heron, Ardea purpurea Eastern great egret, Ardea modesta Intermediate egret, Mesophoyx intermedia Cattle egret, Bubulcus ibis Indian pond heron, Ardeola grayii Striated heron, Butorides striatusWorth, Brooke C. (1953). "Stray Birds notes from Mysore". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 51: 510. Black-crowned night heron, Nycticorax nycticorax Little bittern, Ixobrychus minutus (historical, possibly in error) Yellow bittern, Ixobrychus sinensis Cinnamon bittern, Ixobrychus cinnamomeus Black bittern, Ixobrychus flavicollis (uncommon resident) Great bittern, Botaurus stellaris (historic)
Family: Pelecanidae Spot-billed pelican, Pelecanus philippensis Great white pelican, Pelecanus onocrotalus (vagrant? – first noted in 2008 – one in 2017 at Ranganathittu)
Suliformes
Family: Phalacrocoracidae Little cormorant, Microcarbo niger Indian cormorant, Phalacrocorax fuscicollis Great cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo
Family: Anhingidae Oriental darter, Anhinga melanogaster
Accipitriformes
Family Pandionidae Osprey, Pandion haliaetus (historic, few recent sightings)
Family: Accipitridae
Black baza, Aviceda leuphotes (rare, possibly passage migrant, one historic record from Bengaluru Golf Club, 1980s and one record from Nandi Hills. Newer records could shed light on this species habits in the region.Photo record (7 April 2007) by Pradyumna Mohan) Crested honey buzzard, Pernis ptilorhyncus European honey buzzard, Pernis apivorus (vagrant) Black-winged kite, Elanus caeruleus Black kite, Milvus migrans Brahminy kite, Haliastur indus Lesser fish eagle, Ichthyophaga humilis (Kaveri valley) Grey-headed fish eagle, Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus (records only from Cauvery WLS area) Egyptian vulture, Neophron percnopterus White-rumped vulture, Gyps bengalensis (locally extinct in Bengaluru, common in Nagarahole NP) Indian vulture, Gyps indicus (locally extinct in Bengaluru, populations however slowly recovering) Himalayan vulture, Gyps himalayensis (rare vagrant – juveniles mainly) Red-headed vulture, Sarcogyps calvus (historic, some stragglers still arrive in the Kaveri Valley and the species is relatively common in the Bandipur-Nagarahole region.) Short-toed snake eagle, Circaetus gallicus Crested serpent eagle, Spilornis cheela Marsh harrier, Circus aeruginosus Hen harrier, Circus cyaneus Pallid harrier, Circus macrourus Pied harrier, Circus melanoleucos Montagu's harrier, Circus pygargus Crested goshawk, Accipiter trivirgatus (only from the Cauvery WLS south, although stragglers in Bengaluru not unlikely) Shikra, Accipiter badius Eurasian sparrowhawk, Accipiter nisus Eurasian goshawk, Accipiter gentilis Besra, Accipiter virgatus (rare in Bannerghatta, gets common further south) White-eyed buzzard, Butastur teesa Black eagle, Ictinaetus malaiensis Indian spotted eagle, Clanga hastata (older records of lesser spotted eagle, Aquila pomarina may be attributed to this species) Greater spotted eagle, Clanga clanga Tawny eagle, Aquila rapax Steppe eagle, Aquila nipalensis Eastern imperial eagle, Aquila heliaca (historic, possibly in error. Most recent records from Northern Karnataka) Bonelli's eagle, Aquila fasciata Booted eagle, Hieraaetus pennatus Rufous-bellied hawk-eagle, Lophotriorchis kienerii (rare) (a photographic record of a juvenile from the Kaveri valley area, one from Bannerghattaphoto record) Changeable hawk-eagle, Nisaetus cirrhatus Common buzzard, Buteo buteo (records of birds in Bengaluru and outskirts – Arkavathi Layout and other areasPhoto record (17 Feb 2007) by Nitin S) Long-legged buzzard, Buteo rufinus (recent records from north of Bengaluru)
Falconiformes
Family: Falconidae
Common kestrel, Falco tinnunculus Lesser kestrel, Falco naumanni (rare, records from Hesaraghatta and Chikkballapur areas) Red-necked falcon, Falco chicquera Laggar falcon, Falco jugger Eurasian hobby, Falco subbuteo (rare) Amur falcon, Falco amurensis (rare, passage) Peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus Shaheen falcon, Falco peregrinus peregrinator (resident) Peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus calidus (winter migrant)
Otidiformes
Family: Otididae Great Indian bustard, Ardeotis nigriceps (historic, known from Northeastern Karnataka-the nearest new records) Lesser florican, Sypheotides indicus (mostly old records, one in 2011-12 from Hesaraghatta region)AO Hume and CHT Marshall (1881). The Game Birds of India, Burmah, and Ceylon. (Major McInroy "I think I am within the mark when I say that near Mallur, a station on the Bangalore Madras line of rail and 25 miles from Bangalore, thirty birds were shot in one day by two officers of the Forest department."; "Mr Davidson says:- Florican are found sparingly in Mysore, but I only saw one on two occasions in the Tumkur district, during last year.")
Gruiformes
Family: Rallidae
White-breasted waterhen, Amaurornis phoenicurus Brown crake, Zapornia akool Slaty-legged crake, Rallina eurizonoides (rare, records from IISc campus) Spotted crake, Porzana porzana (one recent record from Anekal region, close to Tamil Nadu border) Baillon's crake, Zapornia pusilla Ruddy-breasted crake, Zapornia fusca Slaty-breasted rail, Lewinia striata Watercock, Gallicrex cinerea (historic, still exist in small pockets) Grey-headed swamphen, Porphyrio poliocephalus Common moorhen, Gallinula chloropus Eurasian coot, Fulica atra
Family: Gruidae Demoiselle crane, Anthropoides virgo (historic, once recorded at Hulimangala in 2015)
Charadriiformes
Family: Turnicidae
Yellow-legged buttonquail, Turnix tanki (rare, only records have been from the Indian Institute of Science campus) Barred buttonquail, Turnix suscitator (uncommon, mostly seen in the Bannerghatta and Kanakapura scrub areas)
Family: Burhinidae Indian stone-curlew, Burhinus indicus (rare) Great stone-curlew, Esacus recurvirostris (rare)
Family Recurvirostridae
Black-winged stilt, Himantopus himantopus Pied avocet, Recurvirostra avosetta (historic, recent records from Sonnapura in Chikkballapura)
Family Charadriidae
Pacific golden plover, Pluvialis fulva (rare) Grey plover, Pluvialis squatarola (rare) Common ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula (rare, no recent records) Little ringed plover, Charadrius dubius (breeding resident) Kentish plover, Charadrius alexandrinus Yellow-wattled lapwing, Vanellus malabaricus (breeding resident, found only in open areas) Grey-headed lapwing, Vanellus cinereus (rare winter visitor) Red-wattled lapwing, Vanellus indicus (breeding resident)
Family: Rostratulidae
Greater painted snipe, Rostratula benghalensis
Family: Jacanidae Pheasant-tailed jacana, Hydrophasianus chirurgus Bronze-winged jacana, Metopidius indicus (common resident)
Family: Scolopacidae
Eurasian woodcock, Scolopax rusticola (vagrant) Pintail snipe, Gallinago stenura Great snipe, Gallinago media (historic)Baker, E. C. S. (1911). "Occurrence of the Great Snipe (Gallinago major) near Bangalore". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 20: 1155. Common snipe, Gallinago gallinago Wood snipe, Gallinago nemoricola (historic)Betham, R. M. (1912)."Wood Snipe (Gallinago nemoricola) occurring near Bangalore". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 21: 677. Jack snipe, Lymnocryptes minimus (not many recent reports)Searight, E. E. G. L. (1932). "Comparative frequency of Fantail, Pintail and Jack Snipe near Bangalore". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 35: 900. Black-tailed godwit, Limosa limosa Eurasian curlew, Numenius arquata Eurasian whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus (rare passage migrant?http://www.indianaturewatch.net/displayimage.php?id=115418 Photo record) Spotted redshank, Tringa erythropus Common redshank, Tringa totanus Marsh sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis Common greenshank, Tringa nebularia Green sandpiper, Tringa ochropus Wood sandpiper, Tringa glareola Terek sandpiper, Xenus cinereus Common sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos Dunlin, Calidris alpina (recent record from Hesaraghatta) Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea Little stint, Calidris minuta Temminck's stint, Calidris temminckii Long-toed stint, Calidris subminuta Ruff, Philomachus pugnax Red-necked phalarope, Phalaropus lobatus (historic and rare passage migrant)Menon, S. S. (1975). "On the occurrence of the Rednecked Phalarope on inland waters in Bangalore". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 72: 846-847.
Family: Glareolidae Indian courser, Cursorius coromandelicus (Dr Robert B. Watson shot an Indian courser from a flock on 26 April 1952 and again saw two birds when he visited on 15 May 1952.)Worth, Brooke C. (1953). "Additional Mysore state Birds". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 51: 510. Small pratincole, Glareola lactea