Indian Pitta

Bird of many hues !

While scouting for birds early morning today i.e. June 17 near the Parch Dam ( few Kilometres away from Chandigarh), I heard a clear short double whistle. The sound led me to a branch on which an amazing beautiful bird was perching and whistling. While making the sound, the bird’s head was thrown back and the bill was pointing skywards. It was the Indian Pitta.

Indian Pitta is a colourful bird that contains numerous colours and hence it is locally called ‘Navrang’ or ‘Nawarang’. It is a small stocky bird that is mostly seen on the ground level of forests or under dense undergrowth, foraging on insects and small invertebrates in leaf litter. It has long, strong legs, a very short tail and stout bill, with a buff coloured crown stripe, black coronal stripes, a thick black eye stripe and white throat and neck. The upperparts are green, with a blue tail, the underparts buff, with bright red on the lower belly and vent. The orange or brownish-orange beak has a black tip. Its legs and feet are pink and the nails are brown.

Normally it breeds in the sub-himalayan region but migrates to warmer areas in South India and Sri-Lanka during the winters. Being a slow flier, it normally gets fatigued or exhausted when it reaches its destination in the south. .

The name Pitta is derived from Telegu which means a small bird and is also referred in Tamil as Arumani kuruvi which means 6 ‘o clock bird as it is best seen then.

Location courtesy : Arvind Syal.

Coppersmith Barbet

Even though Coppersmith  Barbet is only a tiny bird measuring between 15 cm. to 18 cm. and weighing between 30 to 50 g. , its robust and loud  ‘tuk-tuk-tuk’  sound  can lead you to the branches of the cluster fig tree that it loves to perch on. The bird gets its name from its distinctive call which resembles the sound that a coppersmith makes by beating sheets of copper with a mallet. The  coppersmith barbet makes the sound which is monotonous  but varies in loudness and tempo  by inflating a patch of bare skin on both sides of its throat while the  beak remains shut. Locally it is called chhota vasant and even tuktukiya.

Resident of Indian-subcontinent and other South Asian countries, it is a pretty colourful  bird with its distinctive red cap and red throat. Its body is leaf-green  which helps it to  camouflage itself successfully. It has  yellow patches above and below the eye. Both males and females look alike but juveniles are duller in colour with red colour missing.It has a large head with a stout and dark beak as a robust feature that it employs to peck holes in trees where it nests. Its beak is  bordered with conspicuous bristles. The tail is , however, short and triangular, which is observed as distinctively  truncated when it is in flight. However, the bird hardly comes to the ground.

Found in deciduous forests, open woodlands, countries with thickets, urban parks and in mangroves’ edges , Coppersmith Barbets like to live either alone or in pairs. However, large groups could be seen on fruit trees  for feeding purpose only.

Coppersmith Barbet feeds on various fruits such as figs, berries and mangoes and petals of flowers, but occasionally, it also consumes small insects. On average, they need to eat  about three times their own body weight daily.

Coppersmith Barbet is smallest one in the barbet family that in the region includes the Great Barbet, the Brown-headed Barbet and the Blue-throated Barbet.

The pictures were clicked in Thappli Forest Area (Haryana) on 15^th June 2017.

Do birds recognize human faces?

Do birds recognize human faces?

Experts have been pondering on this question for quite some time and numerous studies and experiments have been conducted over the years.  Research has suggested that some birds indeed do know who their human friends are, as they are able to recognize people's faces and differentiate between human voices.

Two major studies were conducted separately by University of Lincoln and the University of Vienna on pigeons and crows. The research on pigeons pointed out that pigeons can reliably differentiate between familiar and unfamiliar faces. They rely on facial features to discriminate people apart.

Research published in Avian Biology Research shows that pigeons can reliably discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar humans, and that they use facial features to tell people apart.

Lincoln's lead researcher on the project, Dr Anna Wilkinson, from the School of Life states, "Such advanced cognitive processes have rarely been observed in pigeons and suggest that they not only recognize individual humans but also know who they know -- something which could be very important for survival. Some humans feed pigeons, others chase them”.   The bird’s survival perhaps depends on its able to identify a friend or potential foe.

In the other study, published in the journal Animal Cognition, the team inferred that the crows respond significantly more often to unfamiliar than familiar human.  The research points out the evidence that birds can discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar individuals using auditory stimuli.

Christine Stracey, a researcher from the University of Florida has been invading the mocking birds' nests in her neighborhood, counting eggs and banding chicks for a research project. Over time, she noticed that the birds were getting aggressive with her: They would squawk and swoop toward her as soon as they saw her coming.  While they reacted for Stracey whenever she approached them, they ignored passersby and even gardeners working right beneath their nests. "By the end of the summer, I was absolutely convinced that the birds knew me and did not like me!" she says.

Ask any parrot owner, a parrot knows the difference between the owner and a stranger.  Parrots respond quickly to owners while they shy away from strangers.

John Fitzpatrick, an ornithologist at Cornell University says “It's amazing what a bird brain can do." He says there is subtle interplay between the natural and human world. Most people assume that birds are minding their own business, he says, when in reality they are quite in tune with the people passing by.

I have been frequenting the Thappli forest area in Haryana. On a particular tree, I spotted a spotted owlet.  For the first few days, on seeing me, the owlet would either fly away or hide itself behind the branches. It was difficult to click it. However, days passed and I continued to frequent the area. Every time I stopped near the tree and looked for the owlet. Now the owlet does not fly away or hide itself. Rather it would make familiar sounds to perhaps tell me where it is. I have clicked numerous photographs of the bird to my heart’s content. On any particular day, if I do not stop near the tree, the owlet would swap its wings perhaps to remind me why I am ignoring it. Perhaps, some bonding has been achieved.

The cognitive behavior of the birds and their ability to identify human faces and voices provides a useful tip for bird photographers. Give some space to the birds that they intend to click so that they get familiarize with you and conclude that you are a friend and not a foe. Once they are comfortable with you, I assure you they will give you a perfect pose. Patience is perhaps the most important ingredient to bird photography.

Why do I click photographs of Birds?

Why do I click pictures of birds?

For the last couple of years, I have been clicking pictures of different birds and posting them on Facebook and elsewhere. Recently, to a descriptive post, someone commented, “What is great deal; you have just clicked a picture of only the Titar?”

Even though better sense would have been to simply ignore the comment and move on with what I love the most or do some introspection and address the issue. Since the photograph posted was of a bird that me and my fellow birders had been seeing for the first time, it gave us enormous pleasure and joy, being labeled as that of a ‘only a Titar’ just proved the cynicism with which it was commented upon. If the viewer had perceived it to be that of Titar, my post to generate awareness on the variety of birds that are there in this world is fully justified. In a democratic world, healthy criticism is most welcome as differing views aim to improve things and caution one what could be wrong. But here was the case of just sheer cynicism and the comment in journalistic parlance deserved to be ‘spiked’ and it was spiked. However, the question remains, why do I click pictures of birds?

After having put in a hectic corporate life of 30 odd years, I was looking for a healthy ‘getaway’ as a stress buster. Roaming aimlessly in the nearby forest area, the chirping of the birds was enchanting and I could not hold back to click a picture of red-billed magpie perched on a branch of a tree with a camera gifted to me by my son. The sheer joy of having clicked the first photograph of a bird taken by me prompted me to share my joy with my family and some chosen friends. Encouraged by their smiles, the journey for pursuing a new hobby began.

Is it just a hobby? The question has been aptly addressed by Arvind Syal, a fellow birder who in a tour together recently said, “Bird watching is perhaps the best form of meditation, a form of spiritualism.” Being in the lap of nature and looking at the wonderful and colour creatures on wings created by God is enchanting and brings inner joy and peace. It lifts your spirits soaring high.

Nature has so much to offer and we simply ignore. There are about 11000 species of birds and many birders have travelled across the world to list them. As per Wikipedia, no individual can claim to have seen all. The highest record is that of 9000. I am just a beginner and have so far seen and clicked around 250 different birds. There is so much to explore, see and appreciate. Why would anyone be interested in pictures I click? The answer is simple, my joy is doubled when I share that joy with others.

However, there is more to it. Gurwinder , my wife’s friend, who also happens to be on my friend list says that ever since you have been posting pictures of birds, we have also started looking at birds and observing them. She says, “Earlier we thought there were just sparrows, koels and crows and we never imagined there is such a large variety.” Many others have expressed the same thought. Even if I have been able to generate awareness among just few people, my job as a birder is done.

As an added bonus, in my birding expeditions , I have come across some wonderful people who share the same passion. They have enormous experience and they freely exchange their experiences, knowledge and ideas. To be a part of them, is indeed a huge blessing. With them, my life has become bigger and more meaningful.

Internet is a wonderful media to share your joys. However, it is pull media where you can see what you

like and ignore what you do not like. Choice is entirely yours. By the way, ”Titar”is alo a beautiful bird and my journey shall continue……….

Photograph courtesy : Arvind Syal

Coffee with striated heron!

Chakki Mor in Distt. Solan of HP (India) is a favorite birding site for the Chandigarhians and also birders from other parts of Punjab and Haryana. Located at about 39.4  Kms from Chandigarh  in the lower Shivalik Range of hills, the drive from Chandigarh is a pleasant one and it is even more enjoyable when the weather is lovely. On any given Sunday, one could easily spot numerous birders equipped with huge cameras and equipment to click pictures and exchanging with each other their new finds. The place has a wide variety of Woodpeckers, Asian Flycatchers, Starlings, Drongoes, Leothrixes, Thrushes, Doves, Barbets, Sunbirds, Bulbuls, Shallows, Parakeets, Prinias, Tits, Cuckoos, Fantails, Jungle fowls, the beautiful Kalij pheasants and what not. Each time, there is a new find for every birder.

On Sunday, the 11th June 2017, the weather was very pleasant with overnight light showers. As Arvind  Syal , Manager Systems in the Computer Department of Panjab University accompanied by Sanjeev K Verma, Under Secretary,  Govt of Haryana, Revenue and Disaster Management picked me up at 4 45 am, all three of us were confident that today would be a great birding experience.

However, when we reached our favorite spot, it started drizzling but we were happy that soon the clouds cleared. We did spot a blue-throated barbet, few bulbils, plum-headed parakeets, white-headed laughing thrushes, a yellow napped woodpecker far away, a starling here and there and some tits. Nothing new. All our hopes dwindled to find something new and unique, a bird that we had not seen early.

 Disappointed we headed further up the hills to stop at a roadside Dhaba managed by a local named Ishwar along with his wife and lovely daughter. They cook delicious stuffed Paranthas served with some vegetable or pickles. We had pranthas. Me and Sanjeev took tea as well. Arvind does not drink tea but does not mind coffee which of course was not available at Ishwar’s Dhaba.  We once again reminded ourselves that next time, we carry with us some coffee sachets the next time.  Even time we do that and somehow, we forget it.  My apologies to Arvind. We decided to call it a day and head towards our homes.

While returning back, we stopped at still under construction guest house. We enquired if coffee was available and to our delight it was. The coffee was served to us in the lawns in the lush green lawns with a small seasonal rivulet flowing down below. The caretaker had placed few chairs and a table in the lawns and while we were sipping our coffee, Arvind’s keen eyes spotted a Crimson Sunbird perched on a branch of the tree at the edge of the lawns. Not to miss it, Arvind focused his P900 Nikon camera to take a clear shot. While doing so, he signaled us that there is bird down which looks different. It was grey colored bird with a long yellow beak stealthily searching for a prey in the puddle of muddy water near the stream. We slowly moved to the edge and clicked our cameras. It appeared to be a pond egret but the grey color of the bird puzzled us. We had not seen it earlier. I thought it was small green heron. Later on it was confirmed it was striated heron 

As per Wikipedia, “The striated heron (Butorides striata) also known as mangrove heron, little heron or green-backed heron, is a small heron. Striated herons are mostly non-migratory and noted for some interesting behavioral traits. Their breeding habitat is small wetlands in the Old World tropics from West Africa to Japan and Australia, and in South America. Vagrants have been recorded on oceanic islands, such as Chuuk and Yap in the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marianas and Palau; the bird recorded on Yap on February 25, 1991, was from a continental Asian rather than from a Melanesian population, while the origin of the bird seen on Palau on May 3, 2005 was not clear.^”

Wikipedia further states that this bird was long considered to be conspecific with the closely related North American species, the green heron, which is now usually separated as B. virescens, as well as the lava heron of the Galápagos Islands (now B. sundevalli, but often included in B. striata, e.g. by BirdLife International; collectively they were called "green-backed herons".

To sum up, Chakki Mod once again did not disappoint us. Our journey shall continue to explore more………….