Black Kite (Milvus Migrans) — Kalu Parandu in Tamil.

I have previously made two postings on Arunachala Birds about the Black Kite, you can view them at this link here and here.

For a number of months this year a colony of around 15 Kites regularly gathered at the Samudram Eri. Because of heavy undergrowth and a number of ponds on the 700 acre Eri, food was plentiful for their community.
 

Small Cluster of 3 Kites on Samudram Eri

My dogs and I walk daily on the Samudram Eri and as some of the ponds dried out, large dead fish were often to be seen on the top of the water and available to the animals frequenting the water-holes.

Max to the rescue

Some of the dead fish were heavy and to help out my Labrador Retriever Max who would jump into the pond, gather the dead fish in his mouth, swim to the side and then deposit the dead fish on the pond’s bank.

In this way the colony of Kites became quite familiar with me and my dog gang and would often hang around for a nice fish dinner. The Kites were so comfortable with our presence that on one occasion when I was holding a dead fish by its tail and looking for a high spot to deposit it for the birds, they clustered over me, flying barely 20 feet from my head, eager to be the sole recipient of the large dead fish. The Kites were respectful of both my space and my 6 dogs and in no way threatened or bullied us. It was a truly a “Disney” moment.

However I am familiar of how opportunistic Black Kites can be, as one day swimming in what was then a Lake, a large Black Kite came swooping down and plucked a nearby duckling (who was swimming with its family) from the water and quickly made off with it.

Description of Black Kite 

This bird is around 24 inches, approximately the size of a Vulture. The Black Kite has dark brown plumage with a paler head and neck and with a dark patch behind the eyes. The outer flight feathers are black and feathers have dark cross bars and are mottled at the base. The cere, gape and legs are yellow. The Black Kite has a distinctive shrill whistling sound followed by a rapid whinnying call — ewe-wir-wir-wir — both uttered whilst on a perch and also on the wing. 

Black Kite

The Black Kite inhabits a wide variety of habitats such as semi-deserts, grasslands and woodlands but avoids dense forests. 

Kalu Parandu in Tamil

It is generally found near human habitations whether city or hamlet. Skilful when flying, turning and twisting to scoop scraps from traffic congested thoroughfares and avoiding tangles of overhead telephone and electric wires. The Indian Black Kite population is well adapted to living in cities and found in densely populated areas. Large numbers may be seen soaring in thermals over cities. In some places, they will readily swoop and snatch food held by humans. The bird which is both resident and migratory remains permanently in tropical regions. 

Black Kite in Flight

Sexes are alike and they singly or gregariously scavenge in towns and villages. Black Kites are opportunistic hunters and are more likely to scavenge. They are attracted to smoke and fires, where they seek escaping prey. This behaviour has led to the belief that Kites spread fires by picking up burning twigs and dropping them on dry grass. They spend a lot of time soaring and gliding in thermals in search of food. The Black Kites' food consists of carrion, garbage, earthworms, winged termites, reptiles, rodents, fish, bats and young birds. 

The breeding season of the Black Kite in India is during winter. At that time the bird forms large communal roosts. Flocks may fly about before settling at the roost. 

The bird’s nest which is an untidy platform of twigs, iron wire, tow, rags and is built in a large tree, roof or the cornice of a building, Both sexes take part in nest building, incubation and care of chicks. 

Black Kite' Eggs

The clutch usually contains 2 or 4 eggs, pinkish white, light spotted and blotched with reddish brown.The incubation period varies from 30–34 days. Chicks of the Indian population stay at the nest for nearly two months. Birds are able to breed after their second year. 

Below is a beautiful video of "The Black Kite Story" 

Black-winged Stilt: Pavilla Kallan (Tamil)

First identified the Black-winged Stilt last season on the Samudram Eri here in Tiruvannamalai and was able to take several photos of the Stilt wading in the waters, but as my camera is not fit for purpose, am illustrating the below narrative of this bird with photographs taken from the web. 

Black-winged Stilt Juvenile

The Black-winged Stilt in India is both local and migratory. Here at Tiruvannamalai I have only spotted it during the wet season, but in South India its more of a permanent fixture at cooler places such as Karnataka. 

Juvenile in Flight

The Black-winged Stilt’s name in Tamil is Pavilla Kallan and has the scientific name of Himantopus Himantopus. Himantopus comes from Greek meaning “strap foot” or “thong foot”. The long, distinctive legs of the black-winged stilt account for nearly 60 percent of its height. 

Black Winged Stilt Grooming

This bird is about 10 inches long and is a large black and white wader with long orange-red legs and a straight black bill. It has black on the back of the neck, a white collar and a red iris. Both sexes are similar, and the plumage does not change during the year. 

Black-winged Stilts give a repeated high-pitched barking call. Immature Stilts lack black on the back of the neck and have grey-brown wings and their back is speckled with white. They have a smudged grey crown, which extends down the back of the neck as the birds get older. The lifespan of the Black-winged Stilt is about 20 years. 

Stilt with Fish

This bird pairs or flocks in social groups at marshes, jheels, village tanks, salt pans and tidal mudflats. Its stilt legs enable it to wade into comparatively deep water where it probes in the squelchy bottom mud for worms, mollusces and aquatic insects etc. When probing for food its head and neck are submerged at a steep angle with the back part of its body sticking out. 

Stilt Bathing

Black-winged Stilts, like many shorebirds, don't swim while feeding. They feed by pecking at food items while wading in the water. 

Adult Stilt in Flight

However it is in fact a very good swimmer but weak in the air. When flying it flaps its wings with its neck extended and its long red legs trailing beyond the tail. 

Flock of Stilts in Flight

Black Winged Stilt Coming in to Land

The Black-winged Stilt is a social species, and is usually found in small groups. The call it makes is a squeaky, piping chek-chek-chek. 

Immature (l) and (r) Adult Stilts

Couple going through Courtship

Pair of Stilts at Nest

The nesting season of the Black-Winged Stilt is principally April to August. It generally nests in small colonies, within which, mated pairs strongly defend their individual territories. 

Eggs in Nest

It makes its nest in a depression on the ground on the edge of a jheel or marsh, or on a raised platform of pebbles in shallow water, lined with vegetable scum or flags of reeds. 

Chick already emerged from egg

It often breeds in large colonies and lays around 3 to 4 eggs, light drab in colour, densely blotched with black, which closely resemble the eggs of Red Wattled Lapwing. 

Female at Nest with Chicks Around Her

Both sexes incubate the eggs and look after the young. The incubation period of the eggs is around 25 days.

Stilt Chick feeding in Mud

The below is a very beautiful video of the song of the Black-Winged Stilt.

Parakeets and India's Birdman

To view an earlier posting on Arunachala Birds on the Rose Ringed Parakeet please visit this link here and for additional details and information about this bird visit this link here. 

Below is an abridged extract from the excellent 1915 “Garden and Aviary Birds of India” by Frank Finn which includes some more unusual details and varieties of this bird. 

Selection of photos showing the Parakeet eating

Female drinking flower nectar

The Typical Parrots 

“The Typical Parrots form the largest family, such species as the well-known Grey Parrot of India, the Amazons and Macaws of America, and all our Indian Parrots, belonging to it. The small long-tailed kinds are called Parakeets or Parroquets. The Parrots of this family are hardly ever crested, nor do they have a brush tongue. 

The Common Indian or Rose-Ringed Parakeet (Palaeornis Torquatus) is about sixteen inches long, about ten of which belong to the tail; in colour it is green with a red bill and white eyes. The male has a black throat, the black running a little way on each side to join a rose-pink collar which extends around the back of the neck. 

Male eating

Male eating perched in tree

Young birds of both sexes are like the hen at first, having no collar, but their eyes are black so that they can easily be distinguished from old ones. 

Varieties of this Parakeet are not at all uncommon; many birds are found splashed with yellow, and now and then a pure yellow one turns up; which, if a male, retains the red collar. Both sexes of the yellow variety have a red bill, but their feet are flesh-coloured, instead of grey like those of the green birds. Their eyes are often pink; if this is not the case, they are liable to moult out into the ordinary green plumage. A pale yellow-green variety is also found, but seems to be very rare. 

Female eating grain in fields

This species is found nearly all over India and Sri Lanka, east to Pegu but it usually avoids the hills. It is much the commonest of Indian Parrots, and is far too familiar as a garden-bird, doing a great deal of damage to fruit. It even comes into towns. 

It breeds from January to May, using holes in buildings as well as those in trees."

Male and female in courtship eating

Below is a beautiful and inspirational video of Sekhar, a camera mechanic from Chennai who doesn't have pets of his own, but loves thousands of birds, just the same. Sekhar, popularly know as the 'Birdman' in the Royapettah area, feeds thousands of parrots everyday and has been doing so for a decade. 

Sekhar started out with putting rice and grains with water on his parapet wall for sparrows and squirrels. One day, around the time the Tsunami devastated the subcontinent, two parrots came to Sekhar's house in search for food. 

Ten years later, around three thousand parrots now knock at his door for food and it is open for them, everyday without fail. Sekhar says that he might miss his meal, but his parrots never have to return with an empty stomach. 

"It's all love," Sekhar says in the video. Spreading love and kindness keeps him happy and that's his message to everyone. 

Watch Sekhar's inspiring story below. 

Towards the end of the above video Sekhar is feeding a large Parakeet which is known as the Rock Parrot or Alexandrine Parakeet (Paloeornis Nepalensis). 

“This is a larger bird than the ordinary Ring-neck, and has, in both sexes and at all ages, a large dark red patch on the wing, which distinguishes it at once. It varies a good deal according to where it inhabits, but the different varieties can hardly be ranked as species, though this is commonly done. Classing all these large Ring-necked Parakeets together, the Alexandrine may be said to be found almost all over India, Sri Lanka and Burma and also extends to the Andamans, where it is very large and bright coloured.” 

[Frank Finn – abridged]

Contact Information for Sekhar

On the You Tube page of this video in the comments section the following contact information of Sekhar (of the above video) is listed. 

Sekhar Camera House, 

No. 242, Second Floor, Pycroft’s Road 

Royapettah, Chennai 

Contact Mobile Sekhar’s son: +919444464967

Two Photographs Showing the Parakeet in Flight

Male Parakeet in flight

Male Parakeet stretching its wings whilst in flight

White Rumped Shama

This week an article appeared in Tamil papers about the sighting of two birds not normally seen in these parts. The bird species are the White Rumped Shama and the Indian Blue Robin both sighted on the peripheries of Arunachala Hill.

The report noted that the Shama, the best songster of South India generally lives in evergreen forests and the fact that the species is now frequenting this area indicates the improved quality of the forest around Arunachala.

This posting, a composite of photographs and videos from the Internet, is of the White Rumped Shama. I will dedicate a separate posting to the Indian Blue Robin.

The White-Rumped Shama (Copsychus Malabaricus) is a small passerine bird of the family Muscicapidae. It tends to nest near the ground in undergrowth or low trees of lowland broadleaf forests or foothills, especially in bamboo and teak forests. This bird is one of the most beautiful songsters of India.

The Shama Singing - Responding to Whistles in the Forest 

Male Shama

It weighs between 1-1.2 ounces and measures around 10-11 inches including tail length. These birds have a slim build and long tails with graduated feathers. Males are a shiny black with a brown belly and white feathers on the rump and the outermost parts of the tail. Females are generally smaller than the males, and have a more grayish brown colouration with a light coloured belly. Both sexes have a black bill and pink feet. Juveniles have a greyish-brown colouration, similar to that of the females, with a blotchy or spotted chest. 

Male Shama bathing

As well as the distinct pattern of white feathers on its rump and outer tail, this bird is also known for its repetitive behavior of the sudden raising and gradual lowering of the tail. This bird’s diet consists of Grasshoppers, Crickets, Meal-worms, Earthworms and Guppies. 

Female Shama

The White-Rumped Shama is shy but very territorial. The territories include a male and female during the breeding season with the males defending the territory but each sex may have different territories when they are not breeding. 

Female with Nesting Material

In South Asia, this species breeds mainly in April to June laying a clutch of four or five eggs in a nest placed in the hollow of tree. During courtship, the male pursues the female, alights above the female, gives a shrill call and then flicks and fans out its tail feathers. This is followed by a rising and falling flight pattern by both sexes. If the male is unsuccessful, the female will threaten the male, gesturing with the mouth open. 

Batch of 5 Shama Eggs

The female builds a nest of roots, leaves, ferns and stems. Incubation lasts between 12-15 days and may be conducted by the female parent or by both parents. Brooding is done by females between 5 and 7 days. One egg is laid per day, yet all eggs usually hatch on the same day during the morning hours. 

Shama Hatchling in Nest

Both adults feed the young although only the female incubates and broods. The eggs are white to light aqua, with variable shades of brown blotching with dimensions of about 0.7 and 0.9 in. Hatchlings are blind and featherless. The eyes open after 6 days and feathers are completely developed after 11 days, during which time the juveniles begin to preen. 

Young Shama Chick

The Stately Peacock

There are a number of postings on Arunachala Birds, about the commonly found Peacock at Arunachala. Details of this bird can be viewed on Arunachala Birds at this link here, and excellent photos at links here and here. On my Arunachala Grace blog at this link here I have written about legendary birds in Hinduism including the Chataka (Pied Crested Cuckoo), Hamsa (the Swan), Chakor, and the Garuda. As the Peacock is so well represented in Hindu mythology, I am dedicating this posting to the legend and symbolism of this beautiful bird.

Hindu mythology describes the Peacock as vahana (vehicle) for Lord Kartikeya and Goddess Kaumari. In addition the Peacock is closely associated with Lord Krishna, as this God is often depicted with Peacock feathers on his head. The Peacock is featured in ancient Indian stories, songs and poems as a symbol of beauty and poise. Two examples of such literature are the epic poems of Kalidasa (Meghadutam and Kumarasambhava). This bird is often a prominent motif in Rajasthani and Mughal schools of paintings. In the Jataka tale “Mahamayur Jataka” the earlier birth of Lord Buddha is described as being that of a golden Peacock. 

Legend states that the bird was created from the feathers of Garuda, another semi-divine bird of Hindu mythology. In images of the Peacock as a mythical bird, it is depicted as killing a snake, which according to a number of Hindu scriptures, is a symbol of the cycle of time. The feathers of this bird are often used to dust sacred items and implements used in Hindu ceremonies and ritual. 

As the bird’s mating season coincides with the onset of monsoon rains, many songs of rains have the Peacock-dance mentioned in them. One possible origin of the name of the famous Maurya dynasty of ancient India is believed to be derived from the word “Mayura” as the ancestors of the Mauryas were thought to be Peacock-keepers of a Royal Court in eastern India.

Child’s Fable, Tortoise and the Peacock 

A Peacock and a tortoise became great friends. The Peacock lived on a tree on the banks of the stream in which the tortoise had his home; and daily the Peacock after he had a drink of water danced near the stream and displayed his gay plumage to his friend. 

One day, a bird-catcher caught the Peacock and was about to take him away to market when the unhappy bird begged of his captor to allow him to bid his friend the tortoise farewell. The bird-catcher allowed him his prayer and took him to the tortoise, who was greatly moved to see his friend a captive. 

The tortoise asked the bird-catcher to let the Peacock go; but the rogue laughed at the request, saying bird-catching was his means of livelihood. The tortoise then offered the bird-catcher a valuable present in exchange for releasing his friend. Whereupon the tortoise dived into the water and came up with a beautiful pearl and the bird catcher released the Peacock. 

A short time after, the man returned and threatened to catch the bird again if he wasn’t give more valuables. The tortoise, who had already advised his friend to hide in the distant jungle on being set free was enraged at the man’s greed, thereupon he took the first pearl from the bird-catcher on the pretext of finding an exact match for it. The tortoise swam out to the middle of the lake and wasn't seen again -- leaving the bird-catcher to be sorry that his greed had caused him the loss of his first pearl and no chance of any additional treasures. 

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In general, the Peacock is representative of glory, clarity of vision, spirituality, awakening, refinement, immortality, royalty, and incorruptibility. In history, myth, legend and lore, the Peacock is considered an emblem of protection, nobility, watchfulness, guidance, and holiness. All Peacocks are considered sacred, but the White Peacock is the most sacred as it represents purity of Consciousness. The Peacock is possessor of many admired human characteristics. Themes of renewal are also link to this bird and many traditions compare the resurrecting Phoenix to the modern-day Peacock.

Because of this birds’ loud and raucous call, Peacocks were often used in Temples and important places as guardians as their loud call sounded an alarm when visitors approached. In other traditions the Peacock is a symbol of immortality because ancients believed that the Peacock had flesh that did not decay after death. As this bird replaces its feathers annually, it is also regarded as a symbol of renewal. Alchemists thought the tail-fan of the Peacock to be associated with certain texts and images useful in turning base metals into gold. The Peacock has the ability to eat poisonous snakes without harm and the shimmering colours of its tail feathers were explained by his supposed ability to transform snake venom into solar iridescence. 

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A recent report about “Why Peacock tails are attractive,” (to the female Peahen) recently appeared on the BBC website:- 

“Scientists in the US have used eye-tracking cameras to work out exactly what peahens find alluring in a peacock's tail fan. The male birds grow their trains of iridescent feathers during the mating season, fanning them out and rattling them to attract a mate. 

This team of biologists fitted peahens with eye-trackers to find out what they looked at during this display. The eye-tracking footage revealed how difficult it is to keep a peahen's attention, which helps explain why such a large and elaborately decorated tail fan evolved. 

It also gave clues about what a peahen looks for in this tail fan. Side-to-side eye movements suggested that females were gauging the fan's width and that they were most interested in the striking eyespots on the feathers. 

To find out why the peacock's train is quite so cumbersome and elaborate, the scientists set out to understand what it takes to impress a peahen. The researchers trained 12 peahens to wear eye-tracking equipment. This consisted of two tiny cameras on a head mount. One recorded the scene in front of the bird and the other recorded eye movement. 

Rather than looking up at the high crescent of the fan above the peacock's head, the eye-trackers revealed that females looked primarily at the lower portions of the train. The experiments showed that females constantly shifted their attention between the environment and the peacock's tail. “If females are not alert and focus completely on a displaying male, they may end up as a tiger's dinner!” 

The research suggests that the peacock's tail has had to evolve to eclipse all the other things competing for a female's attention. It also raised the question of why the tail fans are held so high if the females focus most of their attention on the lower portion. The researchers hypothesis is that, “In their natural habitat in India, vegetation is very high and all you can see is the upper train of their fan-tail . . . so we think it's a long-distance signal to the hen."