Spotting birds in Indian Cityscape is becoming a rarity now. The cities in India are slowly becoming urban jungles with no space for trees and wildlife. The birds which are frequently visible in the countryside are no where to be found in the cities. However when I spotted this beautiful big birds in my colony I was surprised to see that they are not even surviving but flourishing in the cityscape. Upon enquiring I came to know that this bird was named as Balck Kite (Milvus migrans). The subspecies of this bird M. M. Govinda also known as the small Indian kite or formerly Pariah Kite is found across the Indian cities and their population is thriving in the Indian cities due to their flexible dietary habits.
Black Kite is a raptor species which means they hunt and eat other animals and have special adaptations for catching and consuming prey. Raptors are also called birds of prey and include eagles, hawks, kites, falcons, owls, and most vultures.
Black kites inhabit most Indian states, from the Indo-Gangetic plains to Himalayan foothills and northeastern regions, including Delhi, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Rajasthan. However what I was most curious about was the astonishingly high number of population of these species in PMC area nearby Mula- Mutha river. The major reason for their high density in this area seems to be because of abundance of urban waste from households, markets, and slaughterhouses. This area also provides constant scavenging opportunities, drawing kites to riversides and dumps. Proximity to PMC headquarters along the Mula-Mutha River supports foraging on scraps and small prey like fish or pigeons.
Studying the changing behaviour of these species shows that species too have the ability to adopt to the changing environment. Also those species are likely to survive more who can adopt to the changing landscape better in a better way. Having these species nearby gives me an excellent opportunity to photograph them and test my photography skills!
Wizards of Life! 