It is the time of the year when Nature is at her vibrant best and one cannot miss the vibrant hues all around as well as the fragrance of fruits and flowers in the neighbourhood. More than the riot of colours, there is one other element that would catch your attention, especially during the early hours of the day – the chirping and tweeting of birds that are out in search of the proverbial early worm. What is more important is — you don’t have to go far and wide to spot them – you can find a good majority of them in your own backyard!
One of the nostalgic memories that most of us carry from our childhood days is that of listening to the song of the Asian koel. It is usually delivered as a duet. With the advent of the mating season (March-August) you cannot miss them — the male which almost resembles a crow, except for the pale green / grey beak and dark red eyes and the female aptly called as ‘pullikkuyil’ in Malayalam thanks to its beautifully speckled body. While the mating call is a musical sound, koels have a large repository of sounds, ranging from shrill angry tones to alarmed tones, which they make at the sight of crows or other threats.
When you speak of musical tones, the name that first comes to the mind is the bulbul. While you may find the red vented bulbuls occasionally, it is the Red-whiskered bulbul that is sighted more often in the urban areas. The tall pointed black crest, red face patch and thin black moustachial line give it an elegant look and you can find them in lightly wooded areas, bushes and shrubs. They are often found feeding on fruits and small insects.
Rufous treepie | Photo Credit: Madhava C Kurup
Rufous treepie is another common resident found in our backyard. They add a dash of colour with their cinnamon-coloured body and the white patch across the feathers as well as wings.
If you have flowers around your home, especially shoe flower, you would be hearing the unmistakable twitter of sunbirds. Purple-rumped sunbirds are small, colourful birds that are less than 10 cm in size and as typical of most of the birds, the male of the species is more beautiful with its green metallic crown and shoulder patch. You will often see them hanging on branches and pecking at the base of large shoe flowers. Two other smaller species that you can find in your neighbourhood are the common tailor bird and the Pale-billed flowerpecker. Tailor birds are famous for their nests made by ‘sewing’ leaves together.
Rose-ringed Parakeet | Photo Credit: Madhava C Kurup
It is time to look out for two of the noisy, yet colourful species of birds — Rose-ringed parakeet and the lesser Goldenback- or Black- rumped flameback woodpecker. Rose-ringed parakeet gets its name from the black and rose ring that the male bird has and you will find them nibbling away at ripe guavas, mangoes and other fruits as well as grains like paddy. Black-rumped flameback is the most commonly found woodpecker in urban areas and announces its presence with loud, shrieking calls. While the male bird has a red crown and crest, the female has a black forecrown with red only on the rear part of the crest.
When you talk about noise and chatter, you cannot avoid the most common of all species — the crows and the mynahs. Crows are territorial as well as fearless — quite often you will see them chasing black kites, which are almost three times their size and successfully guarding their turf. Mynahs on the other hand are boisterous with a wide range of sounds in their repertoire. Sometimes you will also find Jungle mynahs, characterised by the tuft of hairs on the forehead, in wooded areas and open agricultural lands next to urban areas.
White throated Kingfisher | Photo Credit: Madhava C Kurup
If you happen to see a flash of blue followed by a loud, whirring call, you have located the White-throated kingfisher in the locality. One of the least shy species, they are often found in the open. The Greater Coucal or crow pheasant is a large bird which is shy and darts for cover at the sight of humans.
As the sun makes it way to call it a day, you would see the black drongos and bee-eaters get into the thick of action. One peculiar habit of both these species is the way they perch – they would be on the branch of a tree and then suddenly, you will see a quick take off and a blur as the bird makes a sortie in the air and deftly catches the moth / butterfly or bee and then returns back to the same branch where they were sitting earlier – like a bomber returning to its base after a successful mission.
Magpie Robin | Photo Credit: Madhava C Kurup
Another resident is the White-cheeked barbet — a very common presence in our neighbourhood. It may not be easy to spot them as they blend seamlessly with the greenery around – but the loud, monotonous call will help you zero in on the target.
Depending on the place you stay, you are likely to see black and Brahminy kites, magpie robins, pond herons, owls, doves and pigeons – the list goes on. Next time when you hear that chirp or twitter, take a good look, say ‘Hi’ to your avian neighbours and experience the joy of watching them in action!
(The author is a faculty member at Asian School of Business, Thiruvananthapuram)
Tips and Tricks
While bird watching is a satisfying passion, it is also something that you can get started easily – all you need is a bit of spare time, a good pair of eyes and ears and good weather! If you are a first-timer, here are a few tips that can help you:
Purple-rumped sunbird | Photo Credit: Madhava C Kurup
Start early – while any time is a good time for birding, you are likely to find maximum birds early in the morning.
It would be good to have a pair of binoculars to help in identifying the birds and observing them without intruding into their space.
Carry a notebook and pen / pencil and start recording the details – date, place, time, species found, any interesting observations (carrying nesting materials / feeding on fruit / type of call made...)
Sometimes, you may not know the name of the species and it would be useful to note down the colour of the plumage, size, shape of beak and so on. When it is comes to noting down the size, you could use known birds as a reference. If possible, make a short sketch of the bird in your notebook.
A field guide or mobile app is another useful aid in identifying the species. Salim Ali’s The Book of Indian Birds may be quite handy for beginners.
Blend into the surroundings by wearing dull-coloured clothing – shades of green or light brown are the best and avoid bright colours at any cost. Remember to keep quiet.
If you happen to find a nest, avoid touching the eggs or the young chicks – there is a high chance of them being abandoned by the parents if you do so.
Finally, bird watching is all about patience. The more patient you are, the greater are the chances of an amazing experience.