Winged affairs

A recently launched book, birds & butterflies of Delhi, throws light on these beautiful beings that surround us

For most men his age, 'bird watching' would have a completely different connotation altogether. But for this 24-year-old, bird watching (well, in the complete literal sense of the phrase) is more than just a passing hobby.


Indian roller

Author Mehran Zaidi's passion for the winged creatures has translated into photographs and words, which he has compiled in two books. His latest, Birds & Butterflies of Delhi, deals with the beautiful creatures that are found in abundance in Delhi's numerous trees and parks.

These feathered beauties are what we see everyday around us, but don't bother to find much about. The book is divided into two parts and deals with birds and butterflies separately. It contains life-like sketches of birds and butterflies.

"I didn't have the time to get pictures of birds taken. And not many books have sketches nowadays. So I kept sketches in the book to add a different touch," explains Zaidi. The text is more like an extended caption, describing the bird, its habitat in Delhi, food habits, reproductive cycle, nesting habits, its call and the like.

Book and beyond
The interesting bit is, all this has been done in a way which is not at all yawn-inducing. Even people who are not curious about birds or butterflies will have their interests stirred after flipping through a few pages. There are tips on where these birds are found and funny one-line anecdotes. It could have done with better editing, though.

Sample this: "These days more and more Brahmins are giving up there ponytails, so isn't it time now to think of another name for the Brahminy Starling! May be the Nerd Starling. (In honour of the guys who've borrowed the ponytail!)."

Some clear common misconceptions. Like: "The dove is used as a symbol of peace, though I have not yet been able to figure out which Dove is shown with the olive branch. To me the bird holding the branch looks like a cross between a dove and a pigeon!"

"There are lots of good and exhaustive books on birds. But there aren't many which a reader can relate to. So I wanted to add an interesting touch, just to make it interesting for readers," says the author.

On to the next
It took Zaidi a year and a half to finish the book. And he is already thinking of doing something on snakes in Delhi. "I want to be a snake watcher also, but I am not half as good so far," he candidly confesses. Zaidi also plans to do something on man eaters.u00a0
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Following the bird trail
As a kid, Zaidi was always
interested in birds. His uncle was also a keen bird watcher and the young Zaidi would often tag along with him. The author initially wanted to be an ornithologist but could not study to become one since he came from an Arts background. "The drawbacks in the system mean that even people who have no interest (in wildlife) are getting jobs,", he says, bitterly.

Zaidi has been following the winged creatures for the last 8-9 years. To brush up on his knowledge on them, he has frequented places in Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttaranchal. "Even if I go on a holiday or for work I end up bird watching," says Zaidi.

Delhi birds
According to the author, one can find 20-25 different species of birds in the Capital's parks. "If you visit sanctuaries like in Okhla or Sultanpur, you will find about 80-90 different species," Zaidi points out.
So if you are interested, go check out our feathered friends.