Grandala facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Grandala
Grandalas in Nepal
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Genus:	Grandala
Species:	coelicolor

The grandala (Grandala coelicolor) is a beautiful bird. It belongs to the thrush family, called Turdidae. It's the only type of bird in its group, which is named Grandala. These birds love living in trees (they are arboreal). They mostly eat insects.

You can find grandalas in the northeastern parts of the Indian Subcontinent and nearby areas. They live mainly in the middle-height parts of the amazing Himalayas mountains. Grandalas are found in countries like Bhutan, India, Myanmar, and Nepal. They also live in Tibet and other parts of China.

Appearance

Grandalas are about 20.5 to 23 centimeters long. That's about the length of a standard pencil. They weigh between 38 and 52 grams. This is about the same as a small candy bar.

Male grandalas are very striking. Their feathers are a bright blue-gray color. Only their tail and wings are black. Female grandalas look a bit different. Their feathers are brownish with white stripes. Their lower back (rump) is gray-blue. The tips and undersides of their wing feathers are white.

Grandalas often make sounds like "dew-ee" and "dewee." Young grandalas look similar to the females. However, they do not have the bluish color on their rump or upper tail feathers.

What Grandalas Eat and How They Live

Grandalas are social birds. This means they often live and move around in groups. They eat a variety of foods. Their diet includes insects, fruits, and berries.

Where Grandalas Live

The grandala lives in a very large area. In India, you can find them in the Himalayas. This includes places like Kashmir (in the Kishenganga and Liddar valleys), Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. They also live through Nepal, Sikkim, and east to Arunachal Pradesh. Even though grandalas are common in these areas, scientists have not done many studies on them yet.

Gallery

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  Illustration of male bird from The genera of birds, c. 1849

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  Illustration from Cassell's Book of Birds, c. 1875

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  Illustration by John Gould, c. 1850s

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  Three blue males and a grey female of Grandalas