White-bellied Treepie (Dendrocitta leucogastra)

White-bellied Treepie (Dendrocitta leucogastra) at Thattekad Bird Sanctuary, Kerala, India. February 2015. Not baited. Not called in.

On my first day in the incredible Thattekad Bird Sanctuary, I had my first spotting of a White-bellied Treepie (Dendrocitta leucogastra). I remembered talking with my guide before leaving the homestay, her saying it is one of her favorite birds. She also said we would be lucky to see one :). The White-bellied Treepie (Dendrocitta leucogastra) was not one of the species I had particulary in my mind, but when I spotted it I understood why my guide loved it so much. It has a lot in common with the Rufous Treepie (Dendrocitta vagabunda), but the white part of its plumage makes this bird much more elegant and graceful. It is endemic to southern India.

Love Nature.
Jonathan