Pecking order

Several birds thronged the little bird bath. Not the crow

A bit of a noisy bunch they were, but their daily visits proved to be therapeutic for the whole family. When an earthen dish filled with water was put up a couple of years ago in the small balcony, it was guarded by the braver birds — the bulbuls and mynahs. Then came the pigeons and sunbirds, occasionally even doves. But Ammi, and the rest of us, waited for the crows. Depending on where one sat and cawed, it was interpreted as heralding the arrival of an important guest.

It was a long wait for the dark-plumed avian all through the summer, even as other bold birds came by — some savvy enough to dart into our home. During this unusual summer, when the mercury soared along with the humidity, an occasional young bird would faint from the heat. Then Abba and our young neighbours would gently pick it up, place it near a moist potted plant, and feed it some grain and a vitamin tablet solution.

The birds had their fixed routine and a pecking order that was never broken. Mornings began with mynahs and bulbuls, who made leisurely splashes and took playful gulps. The pigeons followed, often emptying the dish with their bath routine. The sparrows and little sunbirds either waited on the power lines near by for the bigger ones to finish, or made quick forays to the water bowl if they were particularly thirsty. During the afternoons, it was the occasional dove that came across. Sometimes, mid-afternoon, when the world was into its siesta and all was quiet, a rare, glossy black bird with a long tail and a red-rimmed eye would make its appearance. The koels were occasional visitors. They came when the traffic on the balcony was thin. And evenings, if the weather was hot, continued to be bathing time for some of our feathered visitors.

But we waited for the crow. One day a pair came cawing. Ammi immediately took out a chappati to tempt them, but they desisted the offer. Parrots are rare, but they can occasionally be spotted. However, the once-ubiquitous cawing of the crow seems to have disappeared from our neighbourhood. Wonder whether a bigger watering pot would do the trick?

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