Birds in our lives – the feathered kind - by Nihal D Amerasekera

 Birds in our lives – the feathered kind - by Nihal D Amerasekera

 “The bird who dares to fall is the bird who learns to fly.” How very true in real life.

 Note from Speedy (actg Blog admin) -Nihal sent me these beautiful paintings of birds and let me decide whether to post them on the blog and I of course insisted we should and he kindly sent me the descriptions of the birds which makes the post even more interesting.

The relationship of humans with birds go back thousands of years. People of different communities and countries have used them in many different ways. They have used their flesh and eggs for food and feathers for decorations of headgear and clothing, and also for arrows and darts. They have been used for sport and as pets.

The starling like birds in Mozambique and Tanzania guide the honey hunters to the beehives and the birds feed on the wax left behind.

Pigeons have been bred and trained to carry messages for long distances since Roman times. 

Birds are known to spread diseases like Psittacosis and types of encephalitis. 

The migration of birds is a fascinating study: how they find their way to the same site and often the same nest year after year. 

Humans have a strong impact on the bird population. It is known that 80 species of birds since 1680 are extinct. Habitat loss pollution and pesticides are important factors.

My father loved nature and taught me how to take care of the natural beauty around me and its creatures. Whenever there was an abandoned bird or squirrel or one fallen from a nest he knew how to care for them at home. I recall the many hours spent nurturing them. We both hated keeping them in cages. Perhaps it was our good fortune and theirs too that In the fullness of time many of them left us to join their own kind outside. I fondly remember the squirrels who grew up with us and the intensity of their affection. After leaving ‘home’ they often visited us to greet us and be treated with food until they had their own families. Even after the passage of several months, we saw them watch us and squeak from a distant branch perhaps to say hello and thank you. I hope they never lost their trust in the human kind. As I rummage my childhood memories in the stillness of a winters night I can often hear Percy the squirrel knocking on our window pane with his soft snout. That is indeed what dreams are made of. 

Yellow-billed babbler

This bird is endemic in south India and Sri Lanka. In my childhood we called them 7 sisters. Usually found in flocks of 7-10. They are noisy birds making a din in the early mornings and late evenings. They love their baths and are often seen in birdbaths. They feed on insects and small lizards. 

Red vented bulbul (Konda-kurulla)

They are found in the Indian subcontinent, Far-east and the Pacific Islands feeding on flower buds and insects.

 

Greater coucal (Ati Kukula)

They are widespread in the Indian subcontinent and south east Asia.

Being weak flyers are often found on the ground or in low branches feeding on insects, caterpillars, snails and the nestlings of other birds.

 

Mynah bird

These birds are found in Africa, Indian subcontinent and South-East Asia.

They are intelligent birds rather chatty and are fine mimics of human speech. A striking feature is its friendliness.

Sri Lanka hill mynah we call ‘Salalihiniya’. They have a larger yellow wattle than the southern hill mynah and are said to be better mimics of human speech than its low country cousins. 

Crimson-fronted barbet (Kottoruwa)

Is endemic in Sri Lanka and found in tropical forests up to an elevation of 4000ft. They are green birds with a red forehead feeding on insects and fruit and lay their eggs in tree holes. We had a type of cherry in the garden called “katu-lovi”. Barbets loved these fruits and were often found gorging on cherries. 

 

Sri Lanka Drongo birds

Also called Ceylon crested drongo is endemic in Sri Lanka. It is found mostly in the wet zone in forest areas and at the edges of towns and cities. They are superb mimics of calls of other birds. They feed on insects.

It was on a late-night wildlife program I witnessed the clever trickery of a drongo. He lived in the vicinity of a family of meerkats. The meerkats had many predators and they always had a lookout who would warn them of dangers with a special call. The drongo mimicked this warning call perfectly. When the meerkats found a stash of food the drongo called the warning sound which sent the meerkats scurrying into their borrows. After the drongo had its belly full he made the “all clear sound” which brought the meerkats back to finish their meal.