Indian Roller - పాలపిట్ట - नीलकण्ठ
Indian roller is very special bird for the southern states of India. It is the state bird of Orissa, Telangana and Karnataka states.
This bird is special as this is the only colorful bird living with humans in urban and rural areas. If you are travelling through any highways in sourthern states the chances are very high that you spot this bird in the roadside electric wire / power poles.
Indian Roller used to be state bird of Andhrapradesh until 2014 state bifurcation into Telangana state and Andhrapradesh. After that Andhrapradesh choosed Rose ringed parakeet (Rama chiluka) as state bird and Telangana chooses to stay with Indian roller as the state bird.
Local names of Indian roller are
নীলকণ্ঠ পাখি
ચાષ
नीलकण्ठ
ನೀಲಕಂಠ
പനങ്കാക്ക
चाष, नीलपंख, तास, टटास
ठेउवा
ଭଦଳଭଦଳିଆ
ਨੀਲ ਕੰਠ
अपराजित
பனங்காடை
పాలపిట్ట
Watch this video of Indian roller playing around in indian village area
In Indian culture this bird is said to be sacred to lord Vishnu, people believe that watching this bird during Dussera festival would bring fortunes . Some people catch the bird and released during the last day of Durga puja during dussera which usually occurs in Mid of October month.
In hindi people call this bird as neelkanth which means blue throat but actually if you observe Indian roller doesn't have blue throat. There is another bird European roller and it has blue over throat to breast.
As i said earlier this bird is usually perches on electric wires / poles.
Some Facts
Size : 31 cm
Voice : usually calm, occasionally hash khak..kak..kak..
Notes : exuberant screeching notes and shrieks during courtship display, diving and screaming loudly
Range : Almost enite Indian subcontinent
Habitat : open country, cultivation, orchards and light forests
Watch the below video of Indian Roller flying in slow motion.
Finally why do you think the bird got its name ROLLER?Because it performs startling aerobatics including a series of Rolls
Tags:
Birds