The Himalayas, is a mountain range which separates the Great Indian Plains from the Tibetan Plateau. This range is home to nine of the ten highest peaks on the Earth, including the highest, Mount Everest. The abrupt rise of the Himalayan Mountains from less than 500 meters to more than 8,000 meters in a few hundred kilometers has resulted in a huge diversity of flora and fauna. Nearly 1000 birds have been recorded in the Himalayas of which 15 species are fully endemic.

The common emerald dove (Chalcophaps indica) is a pigeon which is a widespread resident breeding bird in the tropical and sub¬tropical parts of the Indian Subcontinent. It is the state bird of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. They are quite terrestrial, often searching for fallen fruit on the ground and spending little time in trees except when roosting. They eat seeds and fruits of a wide variety of plants and are generally tame and approachable.

IUCN Status: Least Concern (LC) Photo: Sham Edmond