Wings of azure

An Indo-Chinese roller, locally known as 'Neelkantha', carrying food in its beak for chicks patiently waiting in their nest, built inside the cavity of a tree in Sreemangal. These striking birds, with plumage in varying shades of blue, are found across Asia -- from eastern India to Southeast Asia -- where they prefer open forests, farmland and grasslands. Often seen perched conspicuously, they swoop down to catch insects, frogs or lizards. During courtship, the males, which look similar to the females, perform dramatic sky rolls, an aerial display that gives the bird its name.

PHOTO: NOBEL CHAKMA