Monsoon is here, and the winged friends are pretty active. They are singing songs, their plumage is gleaming and their nests are beginning to take shape. Every weekend, NCR-based birdwatchers flock together to the green pockets in and around the city to observe the buzzing bird life. So, put on your raincoat, grab your binoculars and camera, and head out for a morning of watching, photographing and listening to birds in their monsoon rhythm.
A pair of greater flamingoes
‘Avian world springs into celebration in monsoon’ “For birders, this is the season of joy. During this time, the avian world springs into celebration. Birds mate, nest, and raise young ones on the feast of insects. Male birds declare their domain in vibrant plumage, and sing songs. For the females, it is a time of careful choice for a mate who can serenade, but also build a home and bring insects to the nest. Birding in monsoons means witnessing the symphony of wings, water and wonder,” shares Pankaj Gupta, who is leading the Delhi Bird Atlas project.
Indian Roller (Pic: Dr Kiranmoy Sarangi)
Indian pitta (Pic: Chhaya Bali)
Spotted Owlet
‘It is a great time to hear birds sing’Monsoon is a great time to hear birds sing and to record them. “In some habitats, dense foliage often makes it hard to see birds. Recording bird calls is a great way to identify and observe them. All you need is a smartphone and some basic gear,” says birder Kavi Nanda, a member of Delhi Bird Foundation. These recordings can also be shared on citizen science platforms like eBird and Xeno-Canto, he adds.
When birding in the monsoon, it is important to take care of binoculars and cameras, and ensure that they are dry
Common bird sightings in the rainy season There are three types of habitats around NCR that are suitable for birding - wetlands, grasslands and forest areas like in the Aravallis
- Birds like Indian pitta, Indian paradise flycatcher, Indian golden oriole nest in the Aravallis
- In city gardens and Sanjay Van, munias and barbets serenade the monsoon mornings
- Pied cuckoos, also known as the harbinger of rains, are a big attraction for birders
- In the wetlands, like Okhla, Chandu Budhera and Najafgarh Jheel, birders can spot bitterns – cinnamon, yellow and black
- In forested retreats like Mangar Bani and Bhondsi, the forest echoes with the flute-like call of the Indian pitta and the notes of the black-headed cuckooshrike
- In the grasslands areas, one is likely to spot the rain quail, barred buttonquail and small buttonquail
– Inputs from birder Pankaj Gupta and avian photographer Mohit Mehta
Apart from Okhla Bird Sanctuary and Sanjay Van in Delhi, one can plan birding walks in Yamuna Biodiversity Park and Asita East Park (Pic: @asian_adventures_india)
“The familiar resident birds don vibrant colours and sing like never before. Alongside them are the summer and monsoon visitors,” says Pankaj Gupta, who recently conducted a birding walk in Chandu Budhera
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