A Pied Cuckoo's Welcome to Hyderabad Monsoons.
My Sunday mornings are filled with renewed vigour, enthusiasm and the thirst to discover something unseen. As someone who's devoted his lens to capturing the beauty of the wild, the chance for a magical and unexpected encounter with a seasonal visitor can make your day. My name is Sriram Reddy, and I have been professionally photographing wildlife for 3 years.
Per our early morning bird walk at Woods Shamshabad, I set off to explore the Miyawaki Forest with a group of campers from the night prior. We spotted some unique species of resident birds and learned about the different varieties at WOODS. We returned to our starting point after seeing enough new birds to keep the first-time watchers happy.?
Just as we were about to put down our equipment and gorge on hot breakfast, we suddenly heard the unmistakable calls of the Pied Cuckoo resonating through the air. We ran towards the sound, and there it was, perched on a branch, with its distinctive black and white plumage - calling out to us.
Getting to Know the Cuckoo Bird
The Pied Cuckoo, also known as the Jacobin cuckoo, is recognised as the "harbinger of monsoons" in India, as its arrival coincides with the commencement of South-Western rains. It is extra auspicious as certain areas celebrate the bird's arrival as a prompt to plant rice crops.?
Interestingly, it is a brood parasite when it comes to the reproduction and upbringing of its offspring. Like its cousins, the cuckoos and the koels, it does not construct its own nest! Instead, it lays its eggs in the nests of other "host" birds; this cuckoo prefers babblers as its host, who claim responsibility for raising the mischievous bird's chicks. The unwitting hosting birds often care for the cuckoo's babies at the expense of their own children. It's funny how a bird that humans associate with good omens is a notorious species in the bird community.
The Pied Cuckoo has also left an indelible mark on the world of literature. It has inspired renowned poets such as Tagore and Kalidas, who have referenced this bird in their literary works.
My Rendezvous with the Pied Cuckoo
I have photographed four cuckoo birds at Woods Shamshabad so far. The birds migrate from Africa to India, facilitated by the Southwest monsoon winds. Upon arriving here, the climate is conducive for them to procreate and establish footing. I have often observed families of large grey babblers and yellow-billed babblers around the cuckoo settlements, which means these birds have been colonised by their cuckoo visitors! In fact, I have seen Red-vented Bulbuls drive away Pied Cuckoos from their territory because the latter is known to occupy homes that don't belong to them.
The Call of the Cuckoo…
The sighting of any new bird always evokes a sense of excitement and profound joy. In the realm of birding, this occurrence is referred to as a "lifer," signifying the addition of a new bird species to one's life list. This list comprises all the distinct bird species observed over time. My first encounter with the Pied Cuckoo was in 2015 in the Narsapur Forest. Since 2015, I've reported more than 150 instances of encountering the Pied Cuckoo on the eBird platform.
Today, the Narsapur forest has a soft spot in my heart for the history I share with it. Stonecraft Group, the makers of the world's largest Miyawaki Forest and the developers of Woods Shamshabad, where I conduct weekly bird walks, now has a brand new residential development in the works at Woods Indresham. The site is just half an hour south of my beloved forest, and the thought of conducting bird walks there is thrilling. This is nothing short of a full-circle moment for me.
Concluding Thoughts…
The motley of birds I spot every week at Woods Shamshabad is a testament to sustainable living being the ONLY way of life. The thoughtfully designed green spaces, the energy-efficient infrastructure, and the integration of flora and fauna into the project's ethos form an intrinsic connection with the world beyond concrete walls. Only authentic "green construction" can encourage the bird ecosystem to treat a manufactured forest as their habitat!
Capturing the Pied Cuckoo against this backdrop wasn't just about snapping a photograph; it encapsulated the synergy between contemporary living and Mother Nature herself. Let's continue to celebrate spaces that embrace sustainable living, for they promise a brighter future where every moment might bring a delightful surprise – just like the day we met the charming harbinger of joy amidst a green paradise. Until next time, stay curious and keep those lenses focused on life's breathtaking wonders!
Wildlife photographer Sriram Reddy authored this thought blog. Reach him at @sriram.wildlife.photographer on Instagram.