Sharmila Bhowmick | Updated: Apr 4, 2020, 08:59 ..
Over the past week, myriads of colourful, prancing birds have made their way into Greater Kailash-II resident Aman Dogra’s quiet morning ritual of sipping coffee on his balcony. Looking over the empty, sunlit road on Wednesday, an unusual one caught his eye and Google told him it is a purple sunbird.As human beings find themselves caged in their homes, the quiet neighbourhoods of Delhi-NCR have been taken over by thousands of birds — some migratory and some which were always around but would go unnoticed — singing atop balcony railings, flying in groups through gardens and hopping from one tree branch to the other. Ornithologists say, the clean air, reduced noise levels and ongoing breeding season have aided this jocund emergence.
Faiyaz Khudsar, scientist in-charge at the Yamuna Biodiversity Park (YBP) in Delhi says while the sighting of urban birds has indeed gone up, people have also become more attentive. “There is more activity because this is the breeding season for so many bird species. With very little noise around us, it is easy for them to vocalise and call out for their mates,” said Khudsar, adding that noise above 20 decibels sends birds into hiding.
When Khudsar went out to buy milk on Tuesday, he even saw a shikra (a bird of prey) sitting next to the shop, while other species like black ibis, grey hornbill, white eye, green pigeon, rose-ringed parakeet and purple sunbird are now easily spotted in neighbourhoods.
The avian movement is pronounced between 6am and 2pm when the birds set out to find food for their newly hatched, said M Shah Hussain, scientist in-charge at the Aravalli Biodiversity Park, adding that species like red turtle dove, red-whiskered bulbul, Indian treepie and the red-throated flycatcher are some uncommon birds one may spot around their houses now.
Brigadier Arvind Yadav has recorded 42 species of different birds in the last three days using binoculars as part of a ‘house birding’ challenge. “I have put a water bowl and a feeder, which attracts many species,” said Yadav, who stays at Dhaula Kuan’s Army Enclave. The species recorded by him included the Eurasian hoopoe, pond heron, grey hornbill, jungle babbler and black kite
In Noida, too, enthusiasts who visit bird sanctuaries and wetlands regularly, said that they have been spotting some rare birds closer home. Coppersmiths, sunbirds, parakeets have flocked to the local parks, balconies and terrace gardens. “We are getting to hear koels. The birds start chirping early and can be heard through the day. Perhaps because there are no vehicles on the streets to drown their voice, the songbirds are clearly audible,” Shashi, a resident of Sector 29, said.
The most visible at this time are the shiny sunbirds, they say. “I have seen almost 50 different species over the past few days. Because it is not possible to go out now, I have placed my camera on a tripod in a way that when birds come, I can click away. Several flowers are in bloom and the bird feeder has come in handy too. I have spotted intermediate egrets and black-eared kites,” said Anand Arya, a birder, who has a tip for inviting birds to balconies. “Keep a feeder, keep the balcony quiet, keep flowery plants and wait.”
Several residents have also spotted birds which are usually only found in the nearby sanctuaries or wetlands. “Coppersmiths are flying in flocks. It is unusual and wonderful,” said Rakesh Khatri, a birder and member of IUCN (International Union For Conservation of Nature). In Gurugram, with the improved air quality, residents have reported spotting rare birds like chestnutheaded bee-eater, paradise flycatcher, and rosy starling in their localities.
(With inputs from Ipsita Pati in Gurugram)
