This pair of Bulbuls perched on the cable outside our cottage was in a pensive and observant mood for several minutes before one of them broke the silence with its bird song. I chose seven pictures from about fifty I took before the birdsong, to highlight the preparation before the birdsong.
The sense of presence and awareness the birds needed before they can sing interested me. Since this observation, I have taken an interest in listening to the bird songs of Bulbuls even more.
First it is just a chirp of short duration and not loud enough to be heard from a distance. Then it moves to repeated bird calls with short pause in between. Then the calls become longer and louder. If another Bulbul were to respond from somewhere, the calls become reciprocal.
A bird announces its presence and claims its territory through its bird song.
More than that it is a love song which a male birds sings for finding its partner and having found it, it sings for joy and affirming companionship. It is interesting to observe that a female bird who is not so tuneful also starts singing once it is searching for a partner!
A song is from within.
Yesterday two visitors came in both of whom disturbed me by their behaviour. They came to speak rather than to listen. One of them even interrupted me even when I was offering to say my version of the story. He asked me to listen to him and he repeated himself five times in that five minutes of conversation. He walked out when he thought that he finished his purpose of visit. I do not even know if he knew that he disturbed me with his loudness, controlling tenor and imposing style.
Speaking and listening are for knowing each other. Even if there is a disagreement, we can still be friendly enough to listen.
Birds tells us that singing is for others. We speak to others for bringing cheer to them. That is what I am still leaning!
Listening alone earns us the right to speak!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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