The Secretive Life of Nilgiri Pipit in Sanctified Nilgiris Hills!

By Pragativadi News Service Last updated Sep 20, 2023

The Nilgiri Pipit, known scientifically as Anthus nilghiriensis, is a bird that is found exclusively in the Western Ghats region of southern India, specifically in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka.

It primarily feeds on creeping grass found in valleys but chooses to nest in marshy grasslands with slightly taller grasses and sedges, particularly near streams.

This small bird spends most of its time on the ground within grasslands and hilly slopes. Its preferred habitat consists of cool elevated grasslands and marshes that are accompanied by streams and creeks where it constructs its nests.

While it may bear resemblance to other species of pipits, the Nilgiri Pipit stands out with its distinguishable features. It possesses a richer brown coloring than its counterparts, with more prominent facial markings and sparser markings on its breast and underbelly.

Thanks to its coloring and natural camouflage ability, this easily startled bird can effectively blend into bushes and dry grass, giving it an advantage over potential predators.

Breeding season for the Nilgiri Pipit occurs between March and June. During this time, it utilizes the marshy grasslands near streams as nesting sites while relying on the surrounding areas for feeding purposes.

In the end, it was the love between me and long waiting dream bird, that brought me the greatest happiness of all -a bond that continued to brighten, one colorful feather at a time.

This rare bird was photographed at Nilgiri Hills, Tamil Nadu, India

K. Shiva Kumar. Wildlife Storyteller

These rare photographs have been clicked and contributed by K. Shiva Kumar, a professional Wildlife Storyteller (M.A in Journalism & Mass Communication, an alumnus of Central University Of Odisha, Koraput) from Hyderabad, Telangana.

K. Shiva, is passionate about wildlife conservation. Through his work, he hopes to inspire greater appreciation for the wildlife that shares our planet and encourages conservation action.