When Bengaluru's urban gardens turn into birding hotspots

After placing a birdbath on his rooftop in Bengaluru’s JP Nagar, Vikram S, a birder, did not expect a lesser white throat, a tiny desert bird, to come calling on his terrace. Seven years on, his rooftop, with its flowering plants, green spaces and birdbaths (water bowls) has become a hotspot for several rare bird species, including tawny-bellied babbler, ultramarine flycatcher, fork-tailed drongo-cuckoo, rusty-tailed flycatcher and forest wagtail, those usually found in undisturbed and protected areas.

Standing on his rooftop every day between 10 am and 12 noon, Vikram has frequently recorded the flight of migratory species such as the Indian vulture, pallid harrier, and changeable hawk-eagle, birds commonly seen in grasslands and forests.

So far, Vikram’s backyard birding has documented 116 species. Beyond personal joy of watching and photographing the birds, his observations have generated valuable data that has helped the scientific community better understand bird behaviour and the ability of birds to adapt to rapidly changing urban ecology.

Backyard birding is a simple and pleasurable activity that is reconnecting people with nature. It involves regularly observing birds from balconies, terraces, streets, neighbourhood parks, water bodies around one’s home and most importantly, gardens. Armed with a good pair of binoculars and a decent camera, birders explore small habitat patches near their homes or scan their gardens, recording the bird sightings, often with the help of apps such as eBird, which assist in identification based on calls and physical features.

Consistency, experts say, is key to gathering scientific data. Regular observations can provide insights into seasonal bird arrivals, behaviour, foraging patterns and ecological interconnections. Unmanicured gardens with native flowering and fruiting plants are considered ideal for attracting a wide variety of bird species.

Mysuru-based senior birder Sahana M says backyard birding is both a pleasurable activity and a serious scientific exercise. “One can start by spending a minimum of 15 minutes every day, preferably at a fixed time, observing the surroundings and recording bird presence,” she says. “Over time, one begins to fall in love with the activity as it reveals the intricacies of birds and nature’s interactions.”

Over the last 12 years, Sahana has recorded around 100 species from her home’s courtyard, including flycatchers, songbirds, birds of prey, raptors, migrants and resident species. 

However, she notes, development in her layout has altered local habitats. “Species like black-shouldered kites, drongos, Indian rollers and lapwings have gradually been replaced by more garden birds such as Indian white-eyes, bulbuls and sunbirds,” she says, adding that birds are bio-indicators and changes in habitat are often reflected in their presence or absence.

Dharwad-based senior birder Vaidehi Gunjal, who has recorded over 70 species through backyard birding, says birds prefer natural settings. “They tend to follow the same patterns and visit undisturbed habitats during the same seasons. Migrant birds prefer the same territory of garden when they settle in for winter,” she says, adding that watching tiny birds feed on fruits and flutter around flowers grown in one’s own garden is a deeply satisfying experience.

Bengaluru-based birder Uma Vijnath says patience is perhaps the greatest lesson backyard birding teaches, as one has to wait for hours to get a glimpse of a particular bird or record its behaviour. “With constant observation, one starts questioning why certain birds visit specific habitats during particular seasons. Birds help us understand the complex interdependence of species in nature, even within a small garden,” she says. 

Word of caution

While experts encourage providing shallow bowls of water for birdbaths and cultivating native fruiting and flowering plants, they strongly discourage feeding birds with grains or other food.

Karnataka Animal Welfare Warden Hemanth Byatroy notes that placing bait for birds or any wildlife is a punishable offence under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. “Such practices interfere with birds’ natural behaviour and disrupt their foraging patterns,” he says.