How to spot a dinosaur
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This document discusses different birds found in various locations around India and the world. It mentions birds like Tyrannosaurus rex, Archeopteryx sp., Passer domesticus, Acridotheres tristi, Anas crecca, Butorides striata, Francolinus francolinus, Myophonus Horsefieldii, Paser domesticus, Carpodacus severtzovi, Panurus biarmicus, Coturnix conturnix, Musicapa latirsotris, Haliaeetus albicilla, Accipter badius, Caprimulgus mahrattensis, Clamator jacobinus, Falco peregrinus, Elanus caer
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How to spot a dinosaur
- 2. Tyrannosaurus rex, Paris No, seriously
- 3. Early bird Archeopteryx sp., Oxford
- 4. at your window Passer domesticus, Assam
- 5. Out in streets Acridotheres tristis, Pune
- 6. … in water Anas crecca, Pune
- 7. at TGP Butorides striata, Bogmalo
- 9. Imagine waking up to this Myophonus Horsefieldii, Karnala
- 10. … or even this Paser domesticus, Chhitkul, Himachal
- 11. Why do I bird? Carpodacus severtzovi, Kibber
- 12. For science Panurus biarmicus, London
- 14. Travel light Musicapa latirsotris, that tree over there
- 15. For uhh… word stuff Haliaeetus albicilla, Kaziranga
- 18. Folk lore Clamator jacobinus, Nannaj
- 19. Folk lore Clamator jacobinus, Nannaj
- 20. For thrills Falco peregrinus, LRK
- 21. For action Elanus caeruleus, Uran
- 22. For experiences Homo sapien, Deban, Arunachal
- 23. Et tu, TGP? Alcedo Atthis, Pune
- 27. Make a list
- 28. Say cheesy Streptopelia orientalis, Chango, HP
- 29. Sources • • • • Sources Taxonomy - Wikipedia Dinosaurs - Wikimedia Commons for Bird songs - xeno-canto Gyan - Ali-Ripley guide (10 volumes/The tome) • Bird pictures – Prashant “Pk” Srivsatava
- 32. … or this Cuculus Micropterus
- 33. spot the bird Aquila chrysaetos, Kibber
- 34. spot the bird Aquila chrysaetos, Kibber
Editor's Notes
- Birds probably evolved from Theopods like this T. Rex. Specimen from Palais de la Decouverte, Paris, copyright David Monniaux. Lived 230-65 mya
- Archeopteryx model at Oxford museumDiscovered in Germany, lived 150 myaDiscovered just 2 years after Darwin’s “On the origin of species”Other older intermediate species have since been found from China. Including Anchornis (near bird) and XiaotingiaThings common with birds:Hollow bonesFeathersThey used to brood eggs
- This is what a modern dinosaur looks like.Talk about Linnaeus binomial naming system.
- Common MynaCommon bird. Pest in most of it’s introduced habitat. Even a common bird like this is interesting. Sanskrit names include “peetanetra” – one with yellow eyes.
- Common TealSome birds migrate. This is a common example.
- You can see birds just outside the venue. This Striated Heron was found right outside here. You don’t need to go to Himalayas or Sunderbans to see awesome bird behaviour.
- These are modern dinosaurs. Relics of a past. They are all around us.They fascinate me. I travel all over the country to be with them; to experience them. Bird watching is a multi-media experience.Imagine waking up to this.
- Called “Whistling Schoolboy” in some parts of the world for the human quality of it’s call. The genus name “Myophonus” means “pleasant sounding”. This essentially is the sound of camping in jungles in India.
- You don’t have to go to a jungle to wake up to birds. You probably already wake up to this.
- “Flying litchi” Travelled thousands of kilometers to see a bird like this. Am not nuts.
- Am a big sucker for documentaries. Nature documentaries especially. And I remember this one particular one where David Attenborough talks about a Bearded Reedling. There is no other bird closely related to it. It’s an aberration, a sore thumb, a puzzle for taxonomists, a dilemma for naturalists.I was fascinated. I had to see one. Opportunity presented itself in the form of two females bang in central London. Kensington gardens. For the first time since for ever. A childhood dream fulfilled.Bird life has a is chockful of these curiosities.
- My hobby has taken all over the country. From the beautiful and wild Arunachal in the north east to the dry barren kutch in the west. And from the mind boggling Spiti valley to the serene and green Nilgiris. Even if you don’t give a damn about birds, it’s still quite a hobby just for the travel.But human travellers don’t even come close to what our avian friends are capable of. The image that comes to our head when we think about long distance winter migrants is water birds – ducks, geese, storks, cranes. But then there these tiny guys who don’t fly much when flushed but who travel thousands of kilometers in search of food and shelter every season.This is a Common Quail. Contrary to the name, it’s not that common in India and can be occasionally seen out in the open like this if you are lucky.
- Asian Brown Flycatcher. Even tiny birds like these travel for thousands of kilometers to attend The Goa Project.
- Etymology is the study of words. And it is fascinating. I love words. Words can paint pictures in you head. Even the most esoteric sounding bird names evoke colours and shapes. e.g. Haliaeetusalbicilla (Sea Eagle – White tail)It reads it on the label!
- Sometimes homage to localse.g. Shikra – local Indian Indian name for this hawk in multiple languagese.g. ButasturTeesa i.e. Buzzard hawk – Teesa, local hindi name for the birdA simple bird like this tells us a lot about demographics of certain places.
- Names sometimes pay homage to figures from history.e.g. Syke’s Lark, Syke’s Nightjar. Named after Colonel William Henry Sykes– a 19th century ornithologist who introduced western world to a host of Indian birds including the humble Pond Heron.
- This is a Jacobin Cuckoo or Chatak as it is called in vedas. It is claimed that this bird waited for rains to quench it’s thirst as it’s beak is on top of it’s head.
- Of course all of that is bull crap. But there is method to the madness. Jacobin cuckoos are summer migrants and arrive in peninsula. People saw it as a harbinger of rains.Talk about Papeeha, Chukar or ChkrawaakPapeeha or Common Hawk Cuckoo is called “Brainfever bird” it’s onomatopoeic call. The Indian context is more interesting. It’s call “papeeha” and it’s call is interpreted as a cry for longing “pee kahan? pee kahan?” or “where’s my beloved?”. In marathi, it’s a more utilitarian “paausaala, paausaala” or “rain has come”. Call me a romantic, but the Indian names are a little more interesting than “brain fever”.
- Peregrine falconThis is a Peregrine Falcon. Often quoted to be the fastest animal in the world. That statement is true only in some context but it’s always a pleasure to see one in the wild.Here is one gliding over a water hole in the parched LRK. There are Lesser Flamingos in the background. After the wild ass, this is the thing that brings in tourists. [story about this scene]
- Black winged kites fighting over a mouse. One on the left is a juvenile.
- You end up meeting tribals, adventurers and crazies. Met these guys who had trekked for 5 days from Vijay nagar outpost at the Burma border to the nearest town of Miao in Eastern Arunachal to get daily provisions like oil and salt. Humbling.They were clearly not as pleased at being interrupted as we were.
- It’s not a cheap hobby. The equipment, time and travel can set you back by quite an amount.How can you get into birdingBinocularsStarting localKeeping a listSeasonHabitatField guide
- Several wonderful resources available. Get one that helps you identify the bird not just by appearance but by habitat and behaviour as well.
- Even the most common birds turn into these magnificent creatures through a pair of binoculars. It’s like watching Life of Pi in 3D. You know the script but when its in your face it’s lively and beautiful. The detail, the action is brilliant. You are more focused on the bird so every thing really stands out.Get something comfortable. Too light and it’s unstable, too heavy and your arms will ache. Something with a decent magnification works. 8-10x in my opinion works well.Or a spotting scope. But it’s not suitable for all habitats and conditions.It will cost you from 3000 to a lakh or more. Swarowskis are wonderful but will peg you back by a ton. Try one before you buy or ask your friends.
- Explore your local habitats. Become a guardian of a spot. Help conserve your patch.
- Keep a bird list. There are several formats which take into account date and time. Most migratory birds arrive in India in winters.
- Insert pic of camera kitThis is where the hobby turns really expensive. I think birding and bird photography are slightly different hobbies. And you can do either without indulging in other. There is no end to how high end you can get. If you do want to get into photography, start with something simple. Kalyan call tell you more about photography than I ever can. Get used to the workings of a DSLR before you upgrade. You’ll be tempted to click on auto but you’ll miss the power of a DSLR.Even point and shoots and mirrorless cameras are getting better every day. Some of the photos I’ve seen from those are absolutely amazing. It’s really a race right now. Use your judgment and the internet to chose the right thing for you.Entry level cameras start from 25k and go all the way up to 3 lakhs. Then there are lenses. You’ll need a tele lens, may be a tele converter. Different lenses give you different results. The best ones, prime, will cost you limb. Unless you have the money or you want to turn into a money making entity, stick to basics.
- Travelled to the end of the world to see a pair of Golden Eagles like this from a 500 mm lens. Worth it.