I received this lovely portfolio from Mr Ramanan, and had to put it here, for posterity.
The brainfever bird, heard so commonly, elusive to sight.
Common Hawk-Cuckoo (Hierococcyx varius) - Photo by Mr RamananLike the Asian Koel, it is also a brood parasite, and also has a maddening, repetitive call, heard in the monsoons. They lay their eggs in babbler nests.
The story goes that during the hot summers and just as the monsoons set in, the call of these birds used to drive some of the colonial Brits to madness, as they battled delirium and malaria, and the bird's incessant calling!
Freedom fighters of a sort?!
Sub-adult - Photo by Mr Ramanan
The same sub-adult with a caterpillar - their favourite food. Photo by Mr RamananAccording to Wikipedia,
Common Hawk-Cuckoos feed mainly on insects and are specialised feeders that can handle hairy caterpillars. Caterpillar guts often contain toxins and like many cuckoos they remove the guts by pressing the caterpillar and rubbing it on a branch before swallowing it. The hairs are swallowed with the caterpillar and are separated in the stomach and regurgitated as a pellet.
I became really fond of koels when I worked at an orphanage in GUJ way back in '93. One sat on the tree outside my bedroom window and would begin calling right after I went to bed [really early].
ReplyDeleteThe way the call rises in volume and pitch is unique, I think. I haven't yet heard a brain-fever bird or a copper smith.
Last summer, there were a lot of reports as to how Madras residents were being awoken at the oddest of hours be the call of the koels!
ReplyDeleteA bit maddening after a point I guess.
First time I'm seeing what the brain fever bird looks like.
ReplyDeleteAs for the koels, they would have been less annoying if they had started 3 hours later!
Sekar
Nice...I don't think I've seen a brainfever bird, at least not clearly.
ReplyDeleteLast night, Vikas told me he sees one in my in-laws garden!!
I havent heard it -neither at my place nor my in-laws place, nor in any other urban area.
Sheila