While we rush through the day-to-day activities of life, we often miss the wonders around us. Consequently, we fail to establish the bond with the nature ending up in leading a mechanic life full of stress and strain. No doubt, for a healthy mind and body, we need to establish a bond with the nature and the key for such connection is nowhere else but within ourselves. For several reasons, I consider that ‘Birding’ is a hobby that essentially connect us with nature.

Birding, in the simplest definition, means watching birds in their natural environment. I picked-up the interest in birding around three years back, when I was holidaying with my grandparents in a hill-side village of Kerala. During one of the evening walks, I heard a long melodious whistling sound as if someone is whistling a movie song! The song was clear, loud, long and melodious. It was a surprise when I learned from my grandparents that the song came from a bird called Malabar Whistling Thrush, also called School-Boy Whistler because of its whistling skill. I was on stand-still when I saw the bird - it was a small blackish bird with glossy royal-blue scaling on back and on the forehead. Watching it intently gave me a great feeling of intimacy with the nature. Well, with that I was readily into the hobby of ‘birding’ and now in almost three years’ time, I am well into it!

There is a misconception that birding is possible only in selective places which are rich in vegetation, such as woods, its suburbs, farms, etc. However, deserts, cities, dry lands, marshy places, etc., are all inhabited with different birds. If an apartment dweller in the prominent city like Kuwait looks around, he will be able to sight many birds such as pigeon, spotted dove, myna, bulbul, sandpiper, swift, tern, etc. Thus, birding is not something that is restricted to certain type of landscape alone however it is possible everywhere regardless of the nature of landscape.

From my experience, the birding, generally involves 4 stages, namely:

(i) Observation: A stage where the birder is at the watch out for finding birds – sometimes by looking around and sometimes by listening to the sounds around us. During the learning period, I was just a ‘chance-birder’ where I had to wait for long period outdoor, at different spots waiting for some bird movements or sounds. Gradually, I realized that I should apply logic along with patience to graduate from a ‘chance-birder’ to a ‘designed-birder’. With due time, I made mental notes of the time of the day, trees/plants, food habits, etc., which are specific to each species of common birds. For example, if one wants to see the beautiful Sunbirds and Flower-peckers, choose the vicinity of nectar rich flowers such as hibiscus during early morning or late evening when the Sun light is not very bright. Just sit tight at a convenient and suitable position at this site and one will not fail. Similarly, to see Parakeets and Barbets, be ready near a fruit tree such as guava or mango tree during morning or evening when the Sun light is lightly bright. However, birds like Greater Coucal and Kingfishers are active during the bright mid-day when the Sun is fully up. Thus, with experience, one will be able to relate the time of the day and the surroundings with each category of bird making it easy for sighting them without a long wait.

(ii) Identification: At this stage one acquires the skill of identifying each bird by its physical features or by its sound. Referring popular books on birds, reading articles about the birds and field experience help us to sharpen this skill. Many interesting information comes out during this stage. Out of many interesting examples, I will quote some here for information, (a) people often get confused between parrot and parakeets, and often their names are used interchangeably. However, they are two different species. Basically, parrots are larger in size, has the ability to mimic human speech and lives up to 50-80 years. In comparison, parakeets are smaller, do not have the ability to mimic speech and lives up to 10-12 years. (b) In India, the local birds such as parakeets, parrots, mynas, etc., are listed under the Wildlife Protection Act, and hence cannot be trapped, sold or held in captivity or kept as pet. Violators will be exposed to fines and even imprisonment. (c) The Common Mynas are best talking birds capable to imitating human sounds and voices and way better than parrots in this regard. They are capable of learning up to hundred words! (d) Birds like Hill Myna, Blue Jay, etc., are monomorphic i.e. male and female are look-alike. (e) Birds like Greater Coucal, Great Indian Hornbill, etc., are monogamous i.e. will pair with only one partner.

(iii) Research & Evaluation: This is an advanced stage in birding where the birder maintains and regularly update the field-book noting down the features, behavioral uniqueness, calls and specific emotions such calls reflects (such as territorial calls, warning calls, mating calls), food habits, active timing, etc. A good field-book thus compiled will be rich in information. These information are thoroughly studied, evaluated and ultimately shared into public domain to contribute to the existing information about specific birds and thereby facilitate in expanding the public knowledge on birds.

(iv) Photography & Videography: This stage in birding mainly comes out of passion – a passion to record the beauty, postures and other behavioral aspects of the birds. In this digital world where various handy cameras have revolutionized the field of photography and videography, a high-tech long lens with expensive cam-body and a highly professional training is not a must for getting good pictures of birds but they are only desirable. With basic cameras and lenses, with right timing and at right place, with good positioning and logic it is possible to grab fairly good photographs of birds. I have displayed in this article some of the bird pictures I have captured recently using a middle range camera.

Thus, the definition I will provide for birding is - it is not just watching birds in its natural surroundings. But, it is dedicating ourselves patiently to the nature as a part of it and letting birds to act naturally within its surroundings without distraction so that birder is able to observe them keenly at a close quarter, its beauty, features, behaviors, its correlation with its surroundings, etc., with a view to learn and share the new information flowing out from the nature. No doubt, the essential requirement for a birder is his or her ability to establish a bond with the nature. Stronger the bond is, better the birder you are.

Birding help us in several ways such as improving the observation and identification skill, research and evaluation skill, photography skill, patience, dedication, focus and so on. However, the most important achievement we will have through birding as a hobby is the bond it establishes between us and nature. The feel of being a part of nature is of tremendous joy and peace. To borrow the wise words of Mahatma Gandhi, “The good man is the friend of all living things.”

Thus, as a conclusion note:

1)Bonding with the nature is essential for our physical and mental health.

2)Certain hobbies such as birding facilitate us to establish bond with the nature.

3)Birding help us to understand not only the birds but also the nature itself and thereby allow us to deeply involve in the nature.

4)It is possible anywhere outdoor regardless of the nature of landscape.

5)Birding help us to develop skills such as patience, observation, identification, research and evaluation and in photography/videography.

6)Birding generates joy and peace, and through birding, ultimately you are a contributor to the world.

As Albert Einstein quoted, “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” He emphasized that it is in the nature around us that the answers to all our questions are set.