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

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'

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

Mr. and Mrs. Robin are extremely busy these days. They are preparing to welcome new members to their family. But first, they must find a safe and secure nesting location. It is unquestionably not an easy task. What they have to say about the process is as follows. Ms Robin, 'I am worried. There aren't many good spots left. We need to find a location that ensures protection from the elements. Mr Robin has been hunting for a space and me too.' Mrs. Robin 'I'm concerned. There aren't many suitable locations left. We need to find a location that will keep us safe from the elements. Mr Robin, like me, has been looking for a place.' Finally, the day came when the two found the perfect home. 'It's a tiny birdhouse in the middle of a garden.' It is spacious and comfortable on the inside. 'There is no danger of the nest getting wet or being blown away by the wind,' says Mr Robin. 'The house looks nice from the outside because the h

We all look forward to summer after a long, cold winter. The warmth provides much needed respite from the chill. However, as summers proceed, the sun becomes potent. It dries up the water holes and plants. Hunting for food and water becomes a challenge. So, all of us look forward to monsoon.  Unfortunately, over the years, summers have become longer. And rains sparse. It is problematic because most of us are getting ready to raise our offsprings. Unavailability or limited availability of food and water makes it super hard to raise our young. Luckily, among us there is a rainy fairy. Her presence and calls alert of us the incoming rain showers. She is the one and only Ms Peahen. Whenever we hear the calls or site her along with her partner, the flamboyant Mr Peacock we get readyyyy!  And right on cue, we are blessed with the first rain of the monsoon season. And just like the water holes are filled again, plants are green, and flowers are blooming. This is the magic of monso

Things have been crazy in our neighbourhood lately. All the birds have been gossiping about the new development. The crows and babblers have been put on guard duty. The kites are monitoring the situation from above. Birds have been advised to hide their offspring and stay alert. Humans are also being careful. Boiling heat and lack of good and water aren't the only problems that summers bring. It heralds the visit of an intruder or intruders (which is worse!). Monkeys.  They come in search for water sources. And park themselves on the water tanks to cool their bodies. They are super destructive as well. Some even break the tanks and uproot trees when agitated. If possible they enter homes and steal food. Humans try to shoo them in order to avoid damage.  Like humans, we keep away as far as possible. We take turns to keep an eye on its movements and squirrels chip in. All of us are patiently waiting for Mr. Monkey to leave for peace to prevail. 

I'm Mr Robin, and I was going about my business and living a carefree life until I met a stranger. It was just another ordinary day in my life. Because the sun was bright and hot, all humans were confined to their homes. The majority of my friends were also sleeping in their nests. But I wasn't in the mood for a nap today. So I went out on my own. As I flew past human homes, I decided to take a rest on one of the porches. I sat there for quite some time, unbothered. I began rummaging in the planted pots, feeling slightly hungry, in search of delicacies such as spiders or ants. This is when something strange occurred. I noticed another Robin out looking for insects, just like me. This stranger was mimicking what I was doing. I was irritated and tried to teach this guy a lesson, but I couldn't get through to him. What was strange was that he looked eerily similar to me, despite the fact that I had never seen him before. He kept mimicking my movements; when I pecke

Hello, my name is Little Babbler and I am the youngest member of the Babbler family. We are a group of seven sisters who enjoy running around and having fun with one another. But one day, the games got the best of me. This is what occurred. It was just another ordinary day. We were having a good time bickering and playing in our favourite garden. Because it was spring, the garden was in full bloom. It was ideal for a game of hide and seek due to the dense green bushes. We were all hiding from my elder sister. I discovered an ideal location underneath a bougainvillaea creeper. Unfortunately, when I went inside, I didn't realise the humans were growing some plants beneath the creeper. A net was used to keep the plants safe. As I went inside, I got caught! I attempted to free myself, but the more I moved, the more I became entangled. I began to panic and cried out for help. My sisters heard my cry and tried to assist, but my wings were badly entwined by this point. I was b

Hello, our names are Mr. and Mrs. Sparrow. In our family, we are the third generation. Our forefathers discovered a safe little hole to build our nest in about ten years ago. Today, we're staying at home with our children. In the building where we live, there is a human family. There is a terrace garden with many plants at the house. Humans are friendly, providing us with water and food. When she comes to visit, the sweet lady also greets us, and we return the greeting. Winter has arrived, and it has been cold and harsh. This is not our favourite season. It's difficult to find food. The trees are barren, and the insects have gone underground. It's extremely difficult. But we are fortunate. Every morning, the human comes to visit and feeds us. It's very tasty. We all wait for her in the same spot, greet her with songs as she says hello, and patiently wait for the cups to be filled. There is enough for everyone, including the silver munia family, the babbler s