Whenever I spot rare birds, I am giddy with joy. My confidence begins to build. I realize how much they mean to me. And I start to emotionally invest in them. But if they decide to leave before I can take a photograph, whiffs of anguish flood my nostrils. As they disappear into oblivion – I pull a face and swat imaginary flies. I feel dejected.
It’s like being punched in the eardrum while swimming. I am disoriented.
In a few hours, the melancholic vibe is replaced by a twinge of guilt. I realize, rather sheepishly, that I have spotted three endangered species of birds in southern India. Besides the hundreds of endemic and migratory birds, I have also seen a few – notoriously secretive about their lives.
The Red-Headed Vulture and the White-Bellied Blue Robin even magnanimously posed for me. Only the Kashmir Flycatcher didn’t stay long enough for a photograph. I saw a rare Peninsular Bay Owl too. But I had to pay a professional birder to find her. It doesn’t count.
But I can’t complain. I don’t do much to make our planet a better place for birds. Apart from placing bowls of water on the terrace during summers, I do nothing at all. They don’t owe me any sort of generosity, much less a sighting of their wildest and rarest family members.
I should be grateful that I even get to see crows and pigeons .

I can’t let it go, though. For instance, I still ache to find Austen’s Brown Hornbill – an extremely rare bird found only in the Brahmaputra valley. I want it so much that I forget that I have spotted three different species of hornbills in less than three years.
To bastardize a joke I once read, letting go is like losing a tooth. Even though it is gone, I run my tongue over the base, thinking there is a chance that it may feel good in a strange way.
Never weep over
a wounded rose,
she will only catch a cold.
(Photographs – without sources: Thekkady, Valparai, Kodaikanal, Palani)
My dad is a huge bird watcher and just loves making a home for them in the yard 🙂 He would enjoy this post.
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That’s wonderful to hear! Thank you so much.
Does he have a favourite birdie?
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Robins for sure. He guards them like he would a child 🙂
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Awww! Do give him some birdie love from me (big smile)
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Great post
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Thank you!
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They are beautiful
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Thank you, Monsieur!
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Well, you may feel bad about missing what to you are rare birds, but for me – and I’m certain many other people – who has no access at all to the birds of India, ALL your sightings are magnificent, rare or otherwise.
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Awww that felt good! Thank you, dear friend ❤
I guess I underestimate, at times, the effect of endemic Indian birds on unsuspecting (and adorable) masses.
Tis one of the reasons why I blog in this space, Val. As cheesy as it sounds, it’s to spread some love from India.
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Is it my imagination or are the leave around the blue robin blue? What a gorgeous little fella he is and lucky you to have seen him.
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Hehe they do look a bit bluish green, don’t they!
Thanks Susanne. This sighting was just plain luck. I didn’t even know who he was until much later.
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While seeing rare birds does indeed overwhelm with emotion – I’ll always remember seeing yellow-eyed penguins and would love to see a kakapo, I’m grateful for everyday birds that keep me going through tough times. I too put water out and I enjoy my favourite bird, the plain blackbird, sipping and taking a bath. Such simplicity but how invigorating! I agree with Val that it’s a pleasure to experience Indian birds through your images and words.
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Thank you kindly, Tracy. It’s such a treat to have kindred souls rummage through the tail-feathers and dry seeds in this inconsequential space of mine. Without such earthly support, I doubt if I would be writing so often. Extremely grateful! Thanks again, dear friend.
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may you find them soon…surely we’ll then have a feast of words to binge upon…
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D’aww merci beaucoup, Sumana! I dearly hope so too.
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Thought provoking. Reminds me our own Sparrows making a vanishing trick.
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Thanks doc!
Oh yes, the chittu kurivis – how much I miss them. I don’t see these beauties in the city anymore (groans). Only in the outskirts.
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Amazing. The conservation status of the birds are quite alarming though. A sobering reality of downward trending vectors.:(
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Very sobering, Madhu. Selfishly, I am glad that I got to see the red-headed vulture with naked eyes in my lifetime. But their disappearance leaves my heart aching.
We’ve come too far, haven’t we? (sigh)
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Indeed. Unnecessarily far.
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Touching post
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Thank you very much!
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