A musical chorus in the heart of city

During the day you may tramp about the Sector-17 Plaza without hearing even one bird but in the evening you are suddenly confronted by a flock of birds. These birds come and perch on lofty trees in the Plaza. These birds include babblers, crows, pigeons, bulbuls, sparrows and other common species, says H.C. Gera

THERE is something about birds which appeals to everyone. It could be the beauty of their plumage and colours, the sweetness of their songs or the grace and power of their flight.

Le Corbusier while designing Chandigarh would never have thought that the heart of the city (Plaza, Sector 17) would be a haven for the avian family. The mixed assemblies of birds at the Plaza has now become a characteristic feature of the city centre.

During the day you may tramp about Sector-17 Plaza without hearing even one bird but in the evening you are suddenly confronted by a flock of birds. These birds come and perch themselves on lofty trees in the Plaza and canopy of peepal and chakarasia trees towards the juncture of traffic lights facing Jan Marg. The birds include babblers, crows, pigeons, bulbuls, sparrows and other common species. The parakeet, crackling and flying over Plaza, present an amazing sight. The crows too can be seen gliding on motionless wings, taking advantage of the wind current. Hundreds of babblers queue up on the top of concrete walls of the shopping complex watching the humdrum of city life.

The birds depart in the morning only to return to the same area, often the same spot, before sunset. The most fascinating aspect of this cycle of local migration is the daily assembly of birds. The birds use the sun as their compass.

As the sunlight starts fading, they flock to their nests.

The scene in the evening is suddenly transformed — you may call it a mixed hunting party. The birds in the Plaza as a rule do not spread themselves uniformly but generally rove in bands of mixed varieties. The birds do not assemble at different parts of the Plaza but are usually seen perched around chakrasia and peepal trees near Neelam Cinema, offering an excellent opportunity to bird watchers. There is a great deal of chatter as the birds hop from branch to branch.

As the rays of the sun begin to fade, the struggle to find a suitable place gets intense. Bickering and bullying takes place. But there is no serious encounter because each member of the feathered tribe is preoccupied with the prime task of settling down for the night. As the bustling activity increases, the chattering din gets louder. There is silence for a moment but this silence is shattered by another group of birds hovering, chattering and occupying another tree.

There is no rivalry among the daily visitors to the heart of city. As the bustling and hustling activity goes on, the dead yellow leaves start falling from the trees. The area under the trees gets covered with a yellowish-green carpet.

Certain birds have definite characteristics or ways of flying. But it is the call or song of birds by which they can be easily identified. The call could be a single note, whistle, clicking sound or a sharp chirrup. The chattering noise in the heart of city suddenly, and amazingly, changes into a musical chorus. It appears that a musical orchestra of birds is playing. Sometimes certain notes become hoarse, harsh and unmusical. This happens because certain birds cannot sing sweetly due to the absence of vocal muscle, but manage to contribute their chattering to the chorus.