Kanniyakumari

June welcomes the annual monsoon and so far, the patterns being observed haven’t disappointed. With resident species busy with nesting activity, and many being seen with fledged chicks – breeding season is in full swing as birds prepare for the abundance of the rainy season.

Cuckoo Calling

This is also prime time for cuckoos across the country. While the Pied Cuckoo is most associated with the monsoon, many other cuckoos become very vocal and active during this time. They likely take advantage of the breeding cycles of the birds they parasitise.

Bird Movements

It’s not just cuckoos on the move. Some birds, like the Blue-tailed and Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters and Indian Golden Orioles, migrate north to India during the monsoon. Interestingly, Black-headed Cuckooshrikes and Oriental Honey-Buzzards are rarely seen in Karnataka and Kerala, respectively, during the monsoon months. It will be interesting to see if similar patterns exist elsewhere in India.

News

• The Bhagalpur Bird Ringing and Monitoring Station (BRMS) has launched the Bhagalpur Bird Atlas (BBA) in collaboration with the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS). Details here.
• eBird Thailand, Taiwan, and India held a collaborative online symposium on citizen science and eBird on May 19th. This marked the first such effort between these three Asian countries. Recording available here.
• This article by Gard Otis and Nyaton Kitnya explores the possibility of finding the Yellow-rumped Honeyguide in Jammu and Kashmir, where its presence is poorly documented, unlike Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh.
• Download or print this beautiful illustrated poster of the Purple-rumped Sunbird by Saniya Chaplod for presentations, desktop wallpaper, etc.
• The results of the Endemic Bird Day and Himalayan Bird Count held on May 11th will be available by the end of June on www.birdcount.in
• Want to learn more about brood parasitism and how many species thrive in India? Take this engaging quiz and test your knowledge!

Regular Events and Challenges

• A web page lists bird events (mostly walks) that are conducted on a regular schedule (typically weekly or monthly) by various birding groups across the country. Take a look to see if there is something happening near you!
• This month’s India eBirding Challenge focuses on documenting brood-parasitic cuckoos in your region.
• See the Global eBirding Challenge for June here.
• Results for India’s April eBirding challenge results are available here.