NATURE
Feathered tales

Each bird is as distinctive as it is fascinating. Mehran Zaidi discovers and describes the unique world of pelicans and lapwings

THEe pelican is a large and graceful water bird, which feeds on fish. The pelican’s most outstanding feature is its beak. It has a big pouch under its beak, which helps in catching fish. It takes in large quantities of water, which strains out leaving the fish behind.

Pelicans are usually quiet birds except when many of them get together in a breeding colony.

The three common types of pelicans, which can be sighted in India, are: great white, dalmatian and spot-billed.

The great white pelican is also called the rosy pelican. It is a white bird with shades of light red. It has pink feet and a yellow clump on its breast. It has a brilliant yellow pouch and the skin around its eyes is pinkish. It has a white crest on its head. A speedster and a very fast flier, the great white pelican is a through and through water bird which gathers in large numbers to feed. The dalmatian pelican is similar to its great white cousin; however it can be recognised by its smoky white wing and grey feet. It has an orangish–red pouch and the skin around the eyes is purple. Its crest is curly and thick compared to the great white pelican's.

The spot-billed pelican is a greyish-white bird with a brown crest. The pouch under the beak is purplish, and there are big black and blue spots on the upper part of the ‘cheek’. It also gathers in large numbers near lakes and lagoons for feeding and breeding. The spot-billed pelican too is a strong flier, and frequently flies in the company of other large birds like storks.

These are pigeon-sized birds. These elegant birds have very thin legs, yet they like to run not walk.

There are four types of lapwings in India: Red-wattled, Yellow-wattled, River, and White-tailed.

The Red-wattled lapwing is one of the most recognisable birds of India. It gets its name from its red wattle. (A wattle is a fleshy lobe that grows under the throat of certain birds.) It is found throughout the country. It has a black head, neck and breast, a brown upper body and a white lower body. As its name implies it has a red wattle. Its legs are yellow. Its call, sounds as if it's saying "did ye do it! The Red wattled lapwing can be found alone or in groups. It is more easily spotted during the winter months. It is a very alert bird and raises an alarm as soon as it senses danger. Its food consists of insects, seeds and tubers. It is mainly found near jheels, on roadsides, and in grasslands.

The Yellow-wattled lapwing has a black crown, and a brown upper body, with a black band on a white tail. Its yellow legs and wattle are striking. It is a silent and gentle bird and has a soft call. The Yellow-wattled lapwing is also found alone or in groups sometimes with the more common Red-wattled lapwing. It likes to move around in dry areas. Its favourite dish are juicy insects.

The other two lapwings, the White-tailed and the River, are comparatively rarer. The White-tailed lapwing is a brown myna-sized bird with a white belly and tail, and yellow legs. It likes marshy areas and eats worms, insects and molluscs.

The River lapwing is a beautiful bird with a black crown and forehead. Its upper body is grayish brown with white and black wings; its legs are also black. The River lapwing lives around stony riverbeds, sandbanks, and jheels. It likes to eat insects, crustaceans etc.

A village lore about the lapwing says that it sleeps with its legs up, so that if the sky falls it can hold it up.

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