Episode 63: The Feather Library project with Esha Munshi
Bird Podcast with Shoba Narayan
Release Date: 05/21/2023
Episode 75: Gynandomorphism in birds with Dr. Hamish Spencer
Bird Podcast with Shoba Narayan
The sex of a bird – whether it is male or female – is one of the most critical aspects of its biology. Males and females often behave differently, especially during the breeding season, and in many species, they have strikingly different plumages. This episode features Dr. Hamish Spencer, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Otago in southern New Zealand. Hamish was recently in Colombia, where he was shown a that violated these rules. Colombian ornithologist John Murillo had discovered a very unusual Green Honeycreeper (Chlorophanes spiza) on his farm near Manizales in Colombia...
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Episode 74: A pigeon’s nest at home and its ripple effects
Bird Podcast with Shoba Narayan
When a pigeon comes into the house. This is a controversial episode. In fact, I am pretty sure nobody in the nature groups that I am part of will approve of this. In fact, they may even condemn this episode. Because you see, it is about pigeons, which birders call flying pests. But here’s what happened and so, if you listen or watch this episode, advance apologies. About six months ago, a rock pigeon made a nest in my mother-in-law's balcony. This episode is about the ripple effects after that. One day, I returned after a long trip and visited my mother-in-law...
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Episode 73: Birds and Shola Forests with Dr. V.V. Robin
Bird Podcast with Shoba Narayan
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Special Episode: How did you get into birding
Bird Podcast with Shoba Narayan
Here is a special episode about how different Bangalore birding experts got into birding.
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Episode 72: Birding in Mauritius
Bird Podcast with Shoba Narayan
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Episode 71: The biodiverse splendour of Bhutan
Bird Podcast with Shoba Narayan
This episode is about Bhutan: carbon-negative, Buddhist and a pioneer in sustainable tourism. This tiny country, about the size of Switzerland contains species. In comparison, neighbouring India— nearly ten times the size— has just 1200 species. Here we talk to Namgay Tshering a freelance birding guide about the birds of Bhutan. Specifically he mentions the Beautiful Nuthatch, the Blyth’s tragopan, the Himalayan Monal and others. He talks about how Eastern and Southern Bhutan are a haven for birdwatchers, perhaps because the main cities of Paro, Thimphu and Punakha are...
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Episode 70: Toucanets and hummingbirds in Costa Rica
Bird Podcast with Shoba Narayan
In this episode, we talk to a resident naturalist about the motmots, hummingbirds and toucanets that you can see in Costa Rica.
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Episode 69: The Resplendent Quetzal of Costa Rica
Bird Podcast with Shoba Narayan
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Episode 68: Delhi birds with Sudhir Vyas
Bird Podcast with Shoba Narayan
Delhi and its neighbourhoods, with its variety of habitats and landscapes, is remarkable for the wealth and diversity of its avifauna. It is a true haven for bird lovers, home to an astonishing array of over 470 captivating bird species. Get ready for an enchanting adventure with Sudhir Vyas's delightful book, "The Birds of the Delhi Area," which is the ultimate guide to unlocking the secrets of these feathered wonders! This book has been edited by Anita Mani under Indian Pitta- India's first imprint dedicated to birds. With over 50 years of bird watching experience, Sudhir Vyas, a former...
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Episode 67: The three-wattled bell-bird, Monteverde, Costa Rica
Bird Podcast with Shoba Narayan
This is the first of three episodes about the bird life in Costa Rica. This one focuses on the and the episode is set in the . Listen to the bellbird on Youtube here. Thanks to these photographers for their images Thanks to Michael Brooks for this video of the bird calling Featured image from Wikimedia Commons :
info_outlineThis episode is about the wonder of feathers. Salim Ali said that birds were “feathered bipeds.” This episode explores how feathers are marvellously adaptive to suit birds and species. Our guest is Esha Munshi who co-founded the Feather Library, a digital project documenting feathers.
Esha read a quote from this book on feathers.
Episode artwork: David Clode/Unsplash
From the Feather Library website
A feather lying on the ground could have belonged to any number of species of birds. The type of feather, the colour, the pattern, the markings all tell a story on how to try and identify the owner. Our founding member (Esha Munshi) came up with an idea that if we could compare the feather to an existing database it would help narrow down the options and even help pinpoint the species of the bird. But no such database is in existence for Indian bird species.
In Gujarat alone we have more than 500 bird species. Trying to identify a bird based on just the feather seemed like a daunting task. So it was decided that we would try to record and document as many species as we can. It started with collecting feather samples from Road kills and photographing the feathers. All feathers were counted, measured and photographed. Species details were noted down along with the location.
Our co-founding member (Sherwin Everett) works at an avian hospital in Ahmedabad. The hospital receives around 1500-2000 birds per month, mostly being pigeons, kites and crows along with a fewer other common and some rare species. A number of the birds succumb to their injuries and stress, after which their bodies are discarded to the local corporation for disposal. This was a colossal pool of data just going to waste, literally.
This is the first website for documenting, identification and study of Indian Birds’ flight feathers in India and one of its kind in the World.
A website by the name of www.featherlibrary.com has been setup as the database for the documented feathers. It is open for all and with easy access to feather plates, data regarding the species, wingspan, number of feathers, various other measurements and location of the bird. This will be useful for ornithologists, Forest department staff, researchers, seasoned bird watchers and even creating an interest in budding birders. The main aim is to have all of this data under one roof. Our long term goal is to expand and gradually cover all of India.