This book is a delightful and entertaining introduction to the habits and character of birds in general and to the state birds of India in particular. In a manner that charms young and old alike, it dwells upon the noble lives birds lead, untainted by the shortcomings of character that ail mankind. Accompanied by beautiful Illustrations, it emphasises the pressing and imperative nature of our obligation to protect and provide an environment in which they can flourish. Some of us may not know that these brave and beautiful creatures play a vital role in the well-being and survival of our planet by helping to maintain the delicate balance of nature without which life on Earth would perish. The author, through the Bird, makes an impassioned appeal for its survival. The message of the book is succinctly delivered in verse.
During the first lockdown in Delhi in the spring of 2020, following the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, varied species of birds in growingly large numbers, began to frequent my tree-cum-shrub garden facing the deer park. Just a few steps down the road, two magnificent silk-cotton trees in their gorgeous red blooms beckoned the birds with a generous offering of their nectar. At the break of dawn, they would gather atop these trees to greet the day with birdsong and gorge themselves on its invigorating nectar before commencing the labours of the day. Many of them would alight in my garden and, finding the surroundings welcoming, stay on to mate, nest and raise their families.
During this period, 1 had plenty of time to observe their interesting antics. The bulbuls debated vociferously to select a nesting site while examining every nook and corner of the garden; the purple sunbirds, dressed in their smashing courtship attires, chose the Chinese orange or pomegranate trees to set about weaving their pendant nests, while the tailorbirds adeptly stitched the leaves of broad-leafed bushes to make cradles for their young. The diminutive oriental white eyes preferred the hanging money-plant baskets to nest in. Yet others, like the common mynas and laughing doves, dropped in just for a stroll on the grass to forage for insects. The larger birds, like the parrots and barbets, came to feast on the oranges, while the koel, the drongo and the rufous treepie looked in to say hello as they surveyed the goings-on with interest. The shy magpie robins flitted in and out of the bushes in search of a safe nesting place. I have included some short poems on these visitors as an 'Overture' to the main subject of this book, the state birds.
Watching the activities of these birds, I was intrigued by their behaviour patterns which I have described in the prelude. "The Life of a Bird'. Fascinating was the manner in which they courted and interacted with one another and attempted to keep rivals at bay. Even their own reflections in the windowpanes of the house were regarded as unfriendly rivals to be aggressively pecked at and driven away! Impressive was the regularity with which they cleaned their nests after the arrival of the nestlings and the myriads of trips they made daily to forage for them. Their offspring were guarded with all the ferocity and cunning at their command, even to the extent of diverting the predator's attention by 'playing dead or feigning helplessness. Notable too was the sense of gender parity prevalent amongst most of them in sharing their domestic duties.
These delightful visitors aroused my interest in seeking to learn more about the various species of birds in different parts of our large country. I learnt, inter alia, that in 1985, the Indian Board of Wildlife had advised all the States and Union Territories to select and make known the names of their state birds. This, in the course of time, was done by all of them with the exception of the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu. It appears that the selection of the birds was made largely on the basis of their popularity and, in some cases, in recognition of their growing vulnerability, which required the protection of the state. A few states adopted the same bird as their state bird. 1 have reflected on different aspects of such birds for each state separately.
It may not be a widely known fact that birds make an invaluable contribution towards the preservation of human life on our planet. Fortunately for Man, they function as destroyers of injurious insects and vermin, which multiply at an exponential rate. Unless these are kept in constant check, their insatiable appetites would turn the earth into a desert before long. But Nature has provided a natural check against these pests by making them a very large part of the diet of birds.
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