The integrated rhythm- flight and rest !

I happened to notice while editing the photos of a pair, that one Bulbul was resting on one leg ! Was it balancing on one leg or other leg was injured? It was a cold morning and was windy.

Those interested to study bird behaviour normally get intrigued by such sights!

The Google response to my question was that 'A Bulbul perches on one leg to stay warm by tucking the other foot into its belly feathers, which cuts down body heat loss. It is also sign that the bird feels relaxed, comfortable or sleepy'. 

Another suggestion I found was that, 'If the Bulbul holds one leg up constantly, looks puffed up and fluffed in distress, or shows blood or swelling, or a limp when tries to land, it may be hurt'. 

A third suggestion from the net was, was that, 'It might be resting a bruised toe or foot caught previously'.

The Artificial intelligence added further insights to this puzzle. 'A Bulbul perches on one leg primarily to regulate its body temperature and conserve physical energy. This avian behaviour is completely normal and is a sure sign that the bird is healthy, relaxed and comfortable in its environment'.

I wondered whether this was an attempt to conserve body temperature on a cold morning by pulling up one leg into its warm belly feathers as the bird looked otherwise present to the environment and chirping to each other in between. In my collection of photos in this series, there is no photo of swapping feet or switching between feet to give each foot a turn to warm up. 

I recall a bird watcher telling me once, that as birds spend almost their entire lives on their feet, birds would alternate between legs to allow rest to recover from fatigue. It would do so when it feels secure and restful in a safe environment. To fly off when perched with one foot is more effortful than perched with both feet. 

There might be different reasons apart from all of these possibilities, as they were a pair of Bulbuls probably in courtship in the process of becoming a family. 

I liked the idea of rest that is associated with the flight routine of birds. They incorporate and integrate rest with flight. They are inter woven not dissociated. It is from rest they move to fly and it is from flight they return to rest. 

It is a lesson to ponder upon! The avian rhythm of flight and rest and rest and flight is an ongoing rhythm of living. 

I wondered whether humans subsume fatigue by stretching themselves without realising that it would soon diminish their resilience !

I want to take the avian wisdom as a reasonable example to view rest and work in an integrated fashion. It is their integration that offers wellness. 

The calling to wellness is a soulful call, that needs our attention! 

We are to offer the gift of wellness to ourselves!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)