The common kingfisher is mostly a resident bird in India, meaning it does not migrate long distances. It usually moves locally from rivers and streams to lakes, reservoirs and wetlands depending on water levels and fish availability, including places like Nandur Madhmeshwar Bird Sanctuary

Western yellow wagtail

Grace in motion: an Indian spot-billed duck takes flight at Nandur Madhmeshwar Bird Sanctuary. It is native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia and is largely a resident species, not a long-distance migrant

Small Pratincole is a local migrant, moving within the Indian subcontinent, typically from riverbeds and reservoirs in central and northern India to suitable wetlands and sandy shores across peninsular India after the monsoon

Spotted Crake, a migratory wetland bird that visits India from Europe and Central Asia, seen moving through dense marsh vegetation at Nandur Madmeshwar Bird Sanctuary

The Purple Moorhen, a widespread wetland bird native to the Indian subcontinent and parts of Africa and Southeast Asia, was spotted in the marshy habitat of Nandur Madmeshwar Bird Sanctuary

The cotton pygmy goose, or cotton teal, is a small perching duck which breeds in Asia and Southeast Asia, extending south and east to Queensland, where they are sometimes called white-quilled pygmy geese

Painted Stork, a large resident waterbird of the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, seen with hatchlings at Nandur Madmeshwar Bird Sanctuary

Siberian Stonechat, a winter migrant that travels to India from Siberia and Central Asia, spotted at Nandur Madmeshwar Bird Sanctuary

Ruddy-breasted Crake, a secretive wetland bird native to South and Southeast Asia, spotted at Nandur Madmeshwar Bird Sanctuary

Baillon’s Crake, a small migratory wetland bird that visits India from Europe and Central Asia, sighted at Nandur Madmeshwar Bird Sanctuary

Two green bee-eaters, colourful residents of the Indian subcontinent, rest briefly on a twig before resuming their aerial hunt for insects