Winged wonder

Pakistan is home to some of the most beautiful birds found in nature. Here are a few that were captured in the moment of bliss

Pakistan is blessed with 700-plus species of birds. Forty five per cent of these are migratory birds. Of these visitors, a major portion comprises of ‘Winter Migrants’, which come here to escape the harsh winters of Central Asia and Siberia via the Indus Flyway Zone, one of the main bird migration routes. Along with this a smaller portion of migrants are summer visitors that come to our country specifically

for breeding/nesting in our hospitable habitat.

Below is a mix of these beautiful feathered friends that I have captured with my camera over a period of five years of wildlife photography.

Chukar

The Chukar, commonly known as chakor, is the national bird of Pakistan. It is a resident bird sized 35 to 38 cm. Its habitat is open rocky, scrubby terrain.

It is a popular game and cage bird but a very challenging one. It will take short, brisk flights and disappear within seconds into bushes thus making it very difficult to hunt down. They also make belligerent fighters. Chukars are also associated with intense love and mythically known to be in love with the moon.

The photo was shot on one of my sojourns to the tough terrain in the North of Pakistan at an elevation of 4,512 m in considerably cold climate. Two Chukars appeared suddenly and within split seconds disappeared down the mountainous rocks in rainy weather. I got lucky with a couple of shots when it turned to give me a ‘look’!

Blue-Tailed Bee-Eater

These colourful birds range from 23 to 26 cm in size. They are migratory summer visitors to Pakistan and breed in foothills in the North of Punjab. They do not make traditional nests and are found nesting in colonies in holes in vertical soft mud banks. Both sexes look alike. The bee-eaters consume mainly bees and dragonflies and also grasshoppers and even butterflies etc. The insects that are caught are beaten against perches and branches to break their exoskeletons. These birds look beautiful in flight too!

This shot was taken on an early morning ramble in beautiful Islamabad during the time when the male birds were taking food in for their nesting mates.

Eurasian Spoonbill

The Eurasian Spoonbill is a white wader with the size range of 80 to 90 cm. It is a winter migrant and prefers large water bodies with shallow shores where it can forage with ease. The name of the bird comes from the shape of its bill, which is a distinctive spatula like feature of this bird. They make an interesting sight to watch while feeding as they wade through water moving their bills side to side in search of tiny fish and shrimps and other small water insects.

This shot of this beautiful bird was taken one very early morning in the enviorns of Sialkot Pakistan, an area frequented by a large variety of winter migrants especially water fowls and waders etc.

Steppe Eagle

The Steppe Eagle is a winter migrant bird of prey with a size range of 76 to 80 cm. Since the Steppe Eagles migrate in large numbers it is often easy to miss other eagles that may be mixed amongst them. The Steppe Eagle’s prey is mostly small mammals, some birds and reptiles but in particular the ground squirrel. It is known to be a sly hunter and does not hesitate to steal food from other raptors. It has long, strong wings with prominent seven splayed ‘fingers’ at the wing tips and flies with strong, heavy wing beats. It is one of the fastest birds in flight and may reach flying speeds of around 60 km/hr in horizontal flights and 300 km/hr in a dive. In flight it makes a majestic sight.

This photo was taken on a cold, early morning in the Soon Valley of Pakistan. The photo shows the nictating membrane also called the third eyelid of birds, which keeps their eyes moist and also protects them from dust etc.

Baya Weaver

The Baya Weaver is a local bird with the size range of 15 cm. These are ‘sparrow like’ birds with male and female looking similar during the non breeding period. In the breeding season however the male has a striking yellow helmet among other features. As the name suggests these birds weave their nests, a task that is done solely by the male. He can make upto 500 trips to weave the very unique nest built out of strong grass blades and reeds . The strong conical beak of the bayas is well suited for this task. The nest is a a bulging structure with a long narrow tube like entrance. The entrance should be wide enough to allow the birds to enter and exit easily while keeping out predators. The nests of the Baya Weavers are mostly found in colonies. Once the nest is in the ‘helmet’ stage it is inspected by the female. If she approves of it then mating takes place.

This shot of a male Baya Weaver peeking out from behind it’s nest was taken on a warm tropical monsoon morning in the outskirts of Islamabad where these weavers put on a mesmerising display of bringing food for the females and hatchlings.

Black Billed Magpie

These are fairly big, loud, chattering birds with the size range of 43 to 50 cm. These are resident birds in the drier mountain regions of Baluchistan and the North. Their nests are built on tall trees and are one of the few with a dome shape on top and a side entrance. One of the few birds whose tail, which makes it look stunning in flight, is almost half the length of its body. It’s one of the most intelligent birds with a brain body ratio second only to humans. It has also proven to have the ability to recognise itself in the mirror. Among many myths attached to this bird a pair sighting is supposed to bring joy while a lone bird harbingers sorrow. It is also accused of stealing shiny objects. Once you enter Gilgit Baltistan these birds become a common sight.

The shot was taken in the stunning landscape of Hunza, one lovely day, amidst the fairylandish apricot blossoms.Bar Headed Goose

The Bar Headed Goose is an uncommon winter migrant with the size range of 71 to 76 cm. Its name comes from two horseshoe shaped brownish black bars on the back of its head. It enters Pakistan along the Indus and its tributaries. It is the highest flying bird, known for the extreme high altitudes that it reaches while crossing the Himalayas from its breeding grounds in Central Asia. Studies have shown them to have the ability to breathe more deeply and efficiently in the thin air of higher altitudes. Their slightly larger wing spans help them in flight too. They fly with a constant wing flapping motion, which requires a lot of energy but helps keep their bodies warm at such high altitudes.These birds are also under study to learn how they are resistant to the extreme cold which could help humans in combatting the same.

This shot was taken in a beautiful lake in the North of Pakistan on a cold wintery day, where the sight of these magnificent birds made the trip worth while.

Common Rosefinch

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