The Bird Democracy

Since Saturday, there has been nothing but commotion in the bird community. The cause being the Jungle Babbler sisters. There are have been running around bickering in the entire lane, disrupting the peace of the community. Everyone is so irritated but no one dared to intervene, the ladies are a handful. Once Mr. Robin who is the most jovial person in the community told them to speak quietly and he was told off by all seven of them. Poor Mr. Robin, it was so traumatic that he did not venture out for somedays.  But this time, it was not an outsider that had sparked the bickering. It seems one of the sisters had ventured off on her own and made friends with another group of Babblers. This for them was unacceptable and unforgivable. Most of the birds are friendly and would not mind expanding their tribe but not the babbler ladies for them their family unit is closed.  A Portrait of Dejected Ms. Jungle Babbler So, unfortunately when she was caught in the act by the younger sist

Yes, you heard that right.  Today is National No Fly Day. This day is observed yearly on August 15. It is a day when birds are warned to not take flight. Because we love flying, no one looks forward to National No Fly Day. We have to stay cooped up in our nests, as venturing out is too risky. But it can't be avoided.  Here is Mr. Rose-ringed Parakeet warning his child from flying today.  Why do we observe No Fly Day when we don't want to?  It is simple, we have no choice. Every year on August 15, humans celebrate their Independence Day. On this day, humans gather on their terraces to fly their kites. A fun sport for them is a death trap for us. While we can spot the brightly coloured kites competing in the air, it is the transparent thread connected to the kite.  Mr. Parakeet shares, "It is deadly. Many of our friends and family members got injured by the invisible thread. The thread is so sharp that it can cause permanent damage. Some lost their wings while others

In our neighbourhood, there are some birds with incredible nest-building skills. It includes Mr. Ashy Prinia. His gravity-defining nests are quite strong in addition to being cool to look at. We are in awe of his finished works. He is a master at everything, including material purchasing and spot selecting. Many of us consult him for advice on nest design, construction methods, and placement. Mr. Ashy Prinia is a great architect! He has been really busy lately. He has been moving quickly from place to place. We know! He is onto another build. As expected, he has done it again. This time, he has chosen to build his nest right in the front of the garden, on the top most leaf of the plant. It is visible yet invisible. Absolutely magical! We observed him skillfully combining the collected feathers and linen with the leaves. When he was satisfied with the stitching, he began to pile extra soft things into the centre. When asked, the master architect shared his thoughts about his

Humans and other animals are not like us. What sets us apart? It is our ability to fly. Our greatest gifts are our wings, without which we feel powerless. We can cover enormous distances, avoid danger, and enjoy our freedom while we fly. The ability to fly is essential to a bird's existence. Once parents feel their children are ready to start their own adventure, they will encourage their children to fly. This is one such parent's story. Mr. Black Kite can be seen soaring in the skies these days. Three further little kites can be seen trailing behind him and attempting to keep up with him at a distance. These young ones belong to Mr. Black Kite. From behind, Mrs. Black Kite is observing them. Observing the magnificent Kite family during flying training is always a joy. Mr. Kite is pretty strict. He sees to it that the kids understand the full potential of their wings. His lesson plan for flying covers everything a kite could possibly need to know, including lifting off,

Good morning! Hope you are had a great week. As you have already read, July marks the beginning of a new season with fresh visitors. A new couple has entered our bird community.  It's the Common Mynas.  Mr. and Mrs. Mynas narrowed their search for a new home in our neighbourhood. The Myna couple is quite private moving and doing things together. They have yet to interact with the rest of the members of the community. We, the birds, are also curious but keep our distance. "We don't want to turn them away, but we need to be cautious. Have you ever looked into their eyes? "Ms. Sparrow remarked. Mr. Bulbul, ever cheerful, chimed in, "Yes, their eyes are beautiful, but they are also sharp and piercing. They seem to be constantly observing and watching us. But it's their call that bothers me." "Yes, indeed. They appear to be making fun of our activities. It's their chuckle-like call that gives this impression "Ms. Sparrow agreed. She

Finally, it's here! Rains.  Our prayers and songs were answered. Last week, the heavens opened up and showered us with raindrops. The thirsty and dry plants could replenish their resources leading them to refresh and revive their green and vibrant foliage. The smell of fresh new leaves and flowers spread an intoxicating aroma in the surroundings. Water holes filled up and delicious, fat insects ventured out of their holes. The earth is moist and not dry. Nature's bounty is on full display during monsoons. We absolutely love the rains.  Mr. and Ms. Red-Vented Bulbul enjoying the first 'real' showers of the season. No longer do we have spend the day hiding from the heat. Play time extends from dawn to night. The happy-go-lucky Bulbul family can't stop showing their enthusiasm. The couple can be seen hopping, jumping, and chatting at the same time.  When asked the cause for their excitement? Ms. Bulbul replied, "We had to wait half-a-year to get some r

Greetings, birds! How was your week? We have been struggling as the monsoon season continues to play hide and seek with us. It is so hot and humid. But we remain optimistic and continue to sing our monsoon songs to please the Rain Gods. We love monsoons not only because it lowers the temperature, but also because it means it's time to meet new birds. These birds are fascinating to encounter since they fly across continents and oceans. And there is one in particular that we all watch out for, especially the ladies. The dashing Mr. Pied Cuckoo.  Mr. Pied Cuckoo is extremely attractive with his blackish-blue coat that contrasts beautifully with his white underbelly. His tail is long and black with slight white spots. Mr. Cuckoo's hair isn't cut, so his crest has spiky ruffles that sway with his delicate movements. His dark, melancholy eyes pierce your soul. The highlight, however, is when he serenades everyone, young and old, male and female, with his shrill call. He i

Most birds are dozing off in their nests at night. One bird, nevertheless, starts to move around. It keeps an eye on all of the community's nighttime activities. The Indian Scops Owl lives by himself. He doesn't spend much time interacting with the other birds because he is most active at night. He also never shows up for morning meetings. Many birds had recently voiced their displeasure over the nighttime barking coming from the streets. This happened more than once. Only one person could explain it because it was happening at night. Therefore, Mr. Indian Scops Owl was invited to the following community meeting, which was conducted late at night. Here is what Mr. Indian Scops Owl had to say- "Good morning to all! It is fantastic to finally catch up with the other birds. What appears to be going on? Why did everyone come here late at night? ", asked Mr. Indian Scops Owl after his customary gruff welcome. The Babbler sisters spoke in unison "Oh! Mr. In

We had previously learned that Ms. Shikra was dissatisfied with her portrait. She had asked the human to redo her drawing because she was dissatisfied. The human agreed and promised to create a coloured portrait of Ms. Shikra. An unfortunate series of events, such as illness, prevented the human from delivering the portrait sooner. But Ms. Shikra's constant reminders were effective, and it is now here. Let us now see how Ms. Shikra feels. Good news, friends! "It is finally here. My patience has been rewarded. The human has completed my coloured portrait. I've been waiting for this drawing for almost a month. What do you think? Isn't it good?" "Overall, I like it. Of all the features, I love the eyes. Doesn't it look scary yet wise. I also love how my feathers have been drawn. When I showed this drawing of mine to the rest of the birds, they were in awe as well. The babbler sisters approved as well. I could sense their jealousy." "If

Greetings everyone!  How did your week go? Actually, ours was quite drab. Days begin in a predictable pattern for us. We are jolted awake by each other's calls. Someone else, like us, gets up at the crack of dawn and comes outside to greet us. The human being. She comes in and greets us. Ensures that all water pots are filled with fresh water and that the feeding bowls are clean. She just lets us be, no matter what we're up to. Occasionally, she appears in the afternoon to check on the water pots. She comes up to play in the evenings. But she's been missing for a week. One day led to the next, and there was still no sign of the human. We saw the others, but she didn't appear. Her disappearance has been noticed by all of the birds. No one had seen her, not even the sparrow family, collared and laughing doves, pigeons, or babbler sisters. She has also not been seen on her balcony. Mynas speculated that she might have left. How can she do so without saying good

Ms. Shikra is displeased. It all started when she overheard the babbler sisters gossiping last month. They were discussing how someone was drawing bird portraits. She approached them, curious, to learn more. They told Ms. Shikra about the human who was drawing bird portraits. Ms. Shikra was directed to the portrait artist by the sisters. She dashed off to see her drawing, hoping to hang it in her home. When she arrived, she asked the human to show her her picture. But what caused her to be so unhappy and dissatisfied? Read on to know Ms. Shikra's story.  Here is what Ms. Shikra saw. 'It was ugly,' Ms. Shikra added. 'It didn't look anything like me,' she continued. I am known for my petite yet strong frame. And my sharp eyes. My beautiful white-brown front and silver wings were also not seen because the portrait was in black and white. I was furious, and I squawked my dissatisfaction at the human.' 'What made it much worse was that I wasn'

Everyone within a certain radius (birds, humans, animals) is rudely awakened at 5:30 AM. by a series of continuous loud and piercing sounds. Unlike man-made clocks, there is no off switch for this sound. The constant 'ti-tri-te-teri' lasts about 30 - 40 minutes. The intensity of the alarm call varies with distance from the sound source. So, who is the culprit? It's Mr. Red-wattled Lapwing himself! Here's what Mr. Asian Lapwing has to say about the commotion he causes. "I don't see why it's such a big deal," Mr. Lapwing says. "It's a regular part of my summer routine. The morning is my favourite time of day. The sun gradually spreads its light and warmth to everything it comes into contact with. The dew on the grass in the early morning is still keeping the ground cool. The light breeze has yet to dry and heat up. The morning light also reminds you that it is a new day with limitless possibilities." Mr. Lapwing went on, "M

Kabutars (rock pigeons) elicit two opposing feelings in Indians: 'Aaa' or 'Hhat' (come or go). The rock pigeons have thrived in the busiest, most crowded, and human-dominated regions on the planet, despite the love and abuse they have received. With their concrete landscapes, cities have limited green spaces. Rock pigeons, for example, have mastered the art of adapting to urban environments. These medium-sized greyish-blue pigeons are probably the most frequent in cities today. Have you ever pondered how they were able to accomplish such a feat? 5 Rock Pigeon Mantras for Resilience and Survival In this exclusive interview, Ms. Pigeon shares her family's mantras for successfully coexisting with humans in cities.  Seize Opportunities  'In the city, there are those who look after us and those who do not. So, we might get grain and water today, but not tomorrow. Knowing this, we pigeons have learned to stay positive and adapt to our surroundings. If we are unable to