Bird behaviour

 The first time I was taken in by this strange and uncannily human behaviour by our avian neighbours , was on a walk in the small garden that exists in our colony . On one of the large , broad leafed tree , a number of babblers ( noisy , gregarious , ashy brown in colour ) were creating a ruckus . Nothing new . Except , it quietened down on my third round . Looking up, I saw six to seven good sized babblers , skewered on one branch , almost weighed down by their weight . Squeezing against each other , all fluffed up against the Punjab winter , sharing bodily warmth .

Next , was in Bengal , at one of the numerous ponds . There was quite a collections of ducks , mallards and geese swimming in the murky , muddy waters . All of them , comically , doing this funny thing . One moment , they are serenely sailing on the waters , next moment they dive , headlong , and thrash with their tails and legs , extracting nourishment from the mud , with their beak . To the uninitiated , it might appear , as if they are drowning , wilfully . Next moment they emerge , beak dripping , looking innocently around , sailing quietly . They keep doing this several times in a minute . So , at any given point of time , there are at least half the duck butts waving and thrashing in the air , with their heads submerged . It appears very disconcerting and comical at the same time .

When it comes to eating food , all have different personalities , just like humans. So , if you have extra rice grains , which you have scattered in your backyard , you will see babblers . Numerous , noisy , greedy and unafraid .

If you continue sprinkling , suddenly a crow will swoop down from the heavens and snatch the food ,mid air . Then it will disappear , waiting for more swooping opportunities . Like Amitabh Bachchan in Deewar , they do not pick up stuff scattered on the floor . Unless , they are very hungry .Crows too , if you create a habit of giving out food regularly , will perch on your window sill , and caw for their share . Demand , actually .

Mark Twain thought that crows are brilliant . So did R K Narayan . They were right.

The second circle of grain acceptors are mynahs . Proud , and wary , they treat babblers as their food tasters . Letting them eat the first round , watch and observe . Then move in .

The third circle consists of normally raucous tree pie and barbets . They watch from their great heights , almost invisible . They will come down and deign to accept your offering only when you , the benefactor , have bodily removed yourself from the scene . It is you they fear . It is a very humbling ,sad fact . The prettiest jungle birds , are the wariest of us . For very good reason . People imprison bulbuls and parrots , for their bright plumage and sweet songs .

Another baffling bird behaviour I had the fortune of noticing was the grey francolin , or the Teetar . It lives in the bush , and can fly very short distances like a hen . It will spot a predator kite circling in the skies and go nuts . Instead of taking cover , it screeches its heart out and runs in circles , imitating the kite . That makes it easy for the kite to spot it along with its vulnerable hatchlings .

Mynahs screeching in groups always heralds the presence of a nest -raider aka cat or snake . They will increase their volume of alarmed shrieks if a human passes close by , knowing very well ,that the human can chase away both of these egg eaters .

A bird bath is an excellent window to seeing bird behaviour . Mynas dip their beaks and daintily sip. Babblers toss a beakful of water down their throat and cluck gleefully . While sparrows and bulbul wont hesitate to take a bath , sprinkling and fluttering gleefully , shaking their feathers dry later , Golden orioles and Treepies keep a watchful eye all around . If they so much as hear a sound inside the house fifty metres away , they will take flight . Thirst may be damned !