Whenever that sweet tinkling sound traverses through my balcony, my entire mood rejuvenates. I crane my neck, investigating its source, and scan my lushy green enclave for a soft jingling song. Tracing the tsee…tseer… notes, I rejoice with delight on spotting the chirpy, cute, bundle of joy—the Indian White-Eye.

“Why didn’t you spot the Tiha today, dear?” That’s what my mother used to remind me on the New Year eves, when I was a little child like you. The Indian Roller bird, or the Tiha in Odia, is a very good omen. Believed to be a harbinger of happiness, sighting it is considered auspicious, especially at the beginning of any major life event. In fact, such is the faith in its sanctity that its feathers are preserved as lucky charms. Do you know Odisha, Telangana, and Karnataka have also declared it as their state bird?

If there is ever a bird that can rival even a hulk in roaring aloud, then that birdy has to be the Brown-Headed Barbet. This little creature’s blaring decibels can screech through the morning silence and can knock anyone out of their afternoon siesta as well. Its challenging, almost enticing, avian call proceeds like: tur-r-r-r kutrook-kutrook-kutrook...

The Limca Book of Record holder, Rakesh Khatri, will offer an inspiring chitter-chatter on sparrow conservation.

Who wouldn’t have ever wished to fly high up in the sky? Ever wondered what birds really are; how they live, where and why. Spreading their wings and soaring by, birds have always fascinated our imagination. Join Gargi Mishra—a passionate, devoted birdwatcher—to unveil the enchanting avian world and cherish this mystic paradise.

Mr Rakesh Khatri has actively promoted sparrow conservation. Since 2007, he has been building nests for sparrows using natural material like bamboo, jute and coir. He trains young people to build these nests so that they could put them up around the city.

In an urbanized world, we have cut down trees and taken over the natural habitat of the birds.