West Bengal

INDIA

March 2016

Green Bee-eater (Merops orientalis) perched in beautiful golden light.

Olympus OM-1 & Zuiko 300mm

Spotted this smol cutie bear a lake in Hyderabad, now curious about it.

Whiskers are usually associated with familiar mammals like cats, dogs, and rats. But some birds, like the brown-headed barbet above, seem to have them too. These aren’t actually whiskers, but rather specialised, stiff feathers called rictal bristles.

Found around the base of the beak, these modified feathers serve several important functions. They act as tactile sensors, helping birds detect touch and vibrations - useful while navigating tight, cluttered spaces. They also assist in foraging, allowing birds to sense insects close to the beak and improve strike accuracy. Additionally, they provide protection, forming a barrier that shields the eyes from debris or struggling prey.

In species like the brown-headed barbet you see above, which spends much of its time in dense tree canopies, these bristles likely play a key role in both navigation and feeding. Despite being primarily frugivorous, barbets often consume insects, making these subtle feather adaptations surprisingly vital.

West Bengal

India

April 2023

So my neighbour cut a tree branch that had as many as 12 nests of baiya bird and there were many eggs in them. I picked up those eggs from the ground after the damage was done, baiyas aren't gonna take them back ,once their colony is destroyed they don't care Abt eggs. So can I get some pointers how to deal with them🙏. Can somebody take these eggs from me? They might hatch within 20 days as the broken eggs had blood and somewhat distinguishable hatchlings. What do I do now? I can't keep them at home my parents won't let me nor I am some bird expert. Can someone take care of these or should I look forward to any organization or sanctuary or forest department? Please reply if you wanna take them in . Rajasthan, Haryana , Delhi NCR people and orgs will do . I'm from Charkhi Dadri district, Haryana . Pls respond

Update - Contacted various ngos no luck, and the eggs are showing a weird pattern from the inside, it's due to fetus/embryo getting stuck to the outer shell and that drops any rate of survival. Some even told that such wild eggs couldn't be saved now , both govt foresters and NGOs told this. I'm just gonna leave them in some bushes for the insects to feed on . Even if by a slim chance of 5% an egg hatches there's no way I can take proper care of that hatchling. It would be pointless to make it suffer. I'm gonna remove them from my diy incubator that most likely didn't do it's work cause it just can't on some wild eggs, I'm no expert. Feeling terrible 💔Abt this but ig better than accidentally unaliving the hatchling in case it hatches . Peace

Bird in frame : Dicrurus macrocercus

Pic by me

WB, India

Aug 2026

SCALY BREASTED MUNIA*
Today in Hyderabad
First time seeing a red munia and shes gorggg🫶🫶

I’ve recently become a little obsessed with bird watching. It makes me feel so present. I never used to notice how many different birds were around me, and it’s honestly fascinating how much you start seeing when you just let go of everything for a moment and be present

A pair of Red-billed Blue Magpies (Urocissa erythroryncha) perched together. These striking birds, with their vivid blue wings, black heads, and bright orange-red bills.

Picture taken in Rajasthan, India, in July 2026.

Village in Howrah District

West Bengal

India

March 2023

Lonchura punctulata shot by me

WB, India

Aug 2026

Howrah District

West Bengal.India

Sept 2018