Nurungukal....contd..

                Another interesting bird that used to frequent our premises was a pair of HOOPOE popularly known as UPPOOPPAN. But in Ponnani this bird is called ‘pooyapla pakshi’ or bride groom bird bbecause it is so beautiful. It has a plume with white and brown stripes. Very often it used to fold and unfold the plume. Similar zebra stripes are in its body and tail. They appear in pairs. They peck in the court yard to take worms ,moths etc. Although a small bird it makes a resounding call ‘hoop-hoop-hoop’.While flying it flutters then keeping the wings folded takes an elegant glide up and down in the air. It is believed that its origin is in Egypt or Arabia. Because of its attractive plume it was considered to be a descendant of a kingdom in Europe. While pecking it moves the neck in and out very briskly similar to the movement of a needle of a tailoring machine.

                Chempoth [pheasant] is a very lazy bird. It also appears in pair especially before the on set of south east monsoon. It makes different sounds like ‘gub-gub-goob’  ‘khreek’and late in the evening ‘kshook’ similar to the sound when the air is released from a cycle tube. Its favourite foods are chameleon,lizards,snakes insects etc . We can see them often perching on fence in search of food. As it can not fly fast we used to chase and get them. Induchoodan the famous ornithologist has recorded a few myths about this bird. One such is that this bird uses a root of a rare plant to dissolve iron. To get this what we have to do is to tie an offspring on an iron string . Then it will bring this root and keep on the string. Slowly the iron will melt and we can collect the root .!! Another belief is that in its nest there will be some medicinal herbs which can cure any decease. What we have to do is to collect its nest and allow the contends to flow in a river. Any twig or root which flows against the current is the medicinal herb we are looking for !!. As children these birds always attracted our attention and were our playmates. Such intimate relations with nature inspire me even now !.