How birdsong and bird calls can set the tone for the day

But early the other morning, I realised it went much beyond that. The first bird call I heard as I left the house for my walk was the madcap ringing laugh of the black-rumped flameback, earlier known as the golden-backed woodpecker. It was a wild, exultant laugh that set the tone and mood for the entire day. And then I realised that every bird call evokes a different reaction, memory or emotion in the listener.

Indian mynas, for example, invariably remind me of people in Delhi: always ready to argue and pick a fight, belligerent and in your face. Yet, they taught me not to make sweeping generalisations, because when a pair perch on the window sill in the afternoons, they have meaningful civilised conversations with each other. There is inquiry, humour and affection in their voices.

Magpie robins singing early morning teach you how to respect an artiste: this bird, all decked up in a tuxedo first thing in the morning, is singing with all its heart, so you have no business to complain about the unearthly hour this concert begins. Also, you realise that like all great artistes it may have a fragile ego because it also has a very harsh “chrr!” call, which I like to believe is what it emits when it gets a bad review! 

Magpie Robin (Credit: Ranjit Lal)

Parakeets usually remind me of women bargaining in a marketplace or arguing around a village well: shrill and loquacious and everyone talking and squawking at the same time and thoroughly enjoying themselves. But listening to parakeets always makes you smile – there is an inherent wackiness in their voices. And then again, the shrill questioning whistles — tooi-tooi? Tooi-tooi? — of the plum-headed parakeets as they streak across the skies, lifts your spirits right up alongside them! 

The pop-star purple sunbird spreads sheer teenage joi de vivre as it flutters excitedly around a flowering tree, its shrill chwee-chewe-chwee raising your spirits inexorably. Even, the tiny tot tailorbird with its mega-decibel towit-towit-towit! tells you that it doesn’t matter how small you may be – you can still make the world stop and listen!

Another bird that lifts your spirits (even as it stands on tiptoe while calling!) is the grey francolin, aka the grey partridge. Its pateela-pateela-pateela call is ever cheerful, even if the bird knows it is such good eating! How much more optimistic (or foolish!) can you get? 

The harsh mutterings of the jungle (and large-grey) babblers – accompanied by their glowering expressions – make you grin sardonically and think of rude cops. But you know they have a secret soft side, too – and that teaches you something about your own species and maybe about policemen, too. 

Very few appreciate the crow’s harsh cawing – and when you hear a mob of crows all raucously cawing at the same time you know evil is afoot. Something bad has happened – a crow has been killed perhaps – or a victim – maybe an owl – is being relentlessly pursued and mobbed. They make you think of lynch mobs.

From this same family, comes that devil-tailed scamster — the black drongo — who can imitate the calls of other birds so perfectly, it often leads birders down the garden path good and proper. (I have been a victim of this several times!) It scams other creatures, too: in Africa, the bird imitates the warning calls given by meerkats on guard duty, making the colony dive for cover and leaving the spoils of their hunts for the drongo to consume at leisure! 

That you can’t have it all in life is clearly demonstrated by the peacock: Resplendent colours, a gorgeous display, shimmering dance steps, eloquent kohl-lined eyes – but that voice! It could sink a battleship! 

Even the greatest of birds, the magnificent raptors have voices all out of sync to their characters. They emit shrill girlish screams, bordering on hysteria, or smacked-puppy-like yelps, surely inappropriate calls for such noble and fierce warriors and hunters! 

These days, the gardens and parks are ringing with the never-ending kutroo-kutroo-kutroo and tuk-tuk-tuk calls of the brown-headed barbets and coppersmiths. They are the first indicators that winter is on the retreat and summer is well on its way – and nothing better epitomises a blazing summer afternoon in Delhi, than the incessant calls of these birds. 

Magpie robin (Credit: Ranjit Lal)

To this, add the drowsy, doleful crooning of the laughing dove and your afternoon siesta is assured, even as you vaguely wonder which crackpot gave this bird its name. (Happily, in some parts of the world it is more correctly called the mourning dove.) 

The guttural guturgoo-guturgoo-guturgoo of the blue rock doves, evokes just irritation as you know they’re fouling up the verandah or trying again to lodge themselves into some spot from where they can bug you in perpetuity. 

Up in the hills, the wild, exultant calls of the great hill barbet ringing across valleys make you think of totally besotted romantics declaring their love to the entire world and giving the finger to whichever hardcore killjoy has heard them and is feeling offended. Go, take the hint!

Certainly, bird calls can be great mood influencers – all you need to do is to listen! More next week!