It was one of the thickest forests still humid from the overnight rain. Even at noon it was eerily dark because of the heavily overcast sky. And we were in search of the ever elusive Malabar Trogon. A single dull tone call had alerted us and we made our way through the thick undergrowth. It was a bit of climb over uneven moss covered rocks amidst thorny branches. Faint sunlight filtered in through the tiny gaps in the arched ceiling of foliage, delicately lighting up the ambience.
And there it was.,.
Once the trogon is aware that it is being watched, it will sit in a position so that the belly is not visible to us. It is its defense mechanism of exhibiting it’s duller side to the observer in order not to attract attention! Photographing the trogon is a difficult proposition altogether since it does not sit on good perches and is invariably in the shadows!
It was a fleeting moment as it sensed our presence and flew away. We tried to figure out its path and kept walking, scanning the trees. It seemed a futile search as there was no indication of its presence. Just when we were about to give up the search for a bird which we had aspired to sight for many years, it revealed itself majestically amidst the thick foliage.
We watched it, totally entranced by its beauty.
The Malabar Trogon has a black head that is separated by a white ring from the bright crimson underside. These birds live exclusively on insects. They have a heterodactyl toe (backward toe) arrangement and like woodpeckers can be seen clinging to branches when foraging for insects. The word "trogon" is a Greek term for nibbling as these birds gnaw holes in trees to make their nests.
If the avian population ever decided to hold a beauty contest, then the Malabar Trogon would be a serious contender for the title!
Sighting the Malabar Trogon is as rare as spotting a tiger!
I went walking
In search of
The elusive bird
Trees and thickets
Deep and dense
Reached out
Their arms to me
A colourful fleck
Flew across
To perch itself
With its bewitching armour
My gaze embraces
Its languid radiance
Glimpses At: goo.gl/photos/3ACjAbvNE19ykgjd8
And there it was.,.
Once the trogon is aware that it is being watched, it will sit in a position so that the belly is not visible to us. It is its defense mechanism of exhibiting it’s duller side to the observer in order not to attract attention! Photographing the trogon is a difficult proposition altogether since it does not sit on good perches and is invariably in the shadows!
It was a fleeting moment as it sensed our presence and flew away. We tried to figure out its path and kept walking, scanning the trees. It seemed a futile search as there was no indication of its presence. Just when we were about to give up the search for a bird which we had aspired to sight for many years, it revealed itself majestically amidst the thick foliage.
We watched it, totally entranced by its beauty.
The Malabar Trogon has a black head that is separated by a white ring from the bright crimson underside. These birds live exclusively on insects. They have a heterodactyl toe (backward toe) arrangement and like woodpeckers can be seen clinging to branches when foraging for insects. The word "trogon" is a Greek term for nibbling as these birds gnaw holes in trees to make their nests.
If the avian population ever decided to hold a beauty contest, then the Malabar Trogon would be a serious contender for the title!
Sighting the Malabar Trogon is as rare as spotting a tiger!
I went walking
In search of
The elusive bird
Trees and thickets
Deep and dense
Reached out
Their arms to me
A colourful fleck
Flew across
To perch itself
With its bewitching armour
My gaze embraces
Its languid radiance
Glimpses At: goo.gl/photos/3ACjAbvNE19ykgjd8
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