Spy seagulls and political falcons: Are migratory birds more than they seem?

Some birds fly high and travel incredibly long distances in search of basic necessities and some others do so out of compulsion or mere impulse. In this new Anthropocene epoch, even a simple globetrotting act can whip up emotions.

While a migratory seagull equipped with a China-made GPS tracker on Karwar beach recently sparked curiosity and concerns about spying, a similar migration of satellite-tagged Amur falcons from Manipur to Zimbabwe, Botswana and Somalia is causing wonder. The fact of the matter is that both incidents highlight the energy-efficient flight techniques of our soaring and gliding feathered friends.

However, a different type of on and off fly in and fly out has generated a lot of excitement among political scientists, with avid bird watchers preferring to stay away from this aerial navigation. The seasonal drift and accompanied ble that even parlour enthusiasts appear to be growing indifferent to the hit-and-run raids from the white T-shirt geek, whose Aikido and Jiu-Jitsu techniques are quite well-known by now.


This bird has been spotted in various locations — in Boston, London, Malaysia, Brazil, Colombia and, most recently, in Berlin. Beyond visual impression, the focus was on its chattering — for some, it was a delightful sound, while for others, it was a disturbing noise. There were expressions of common concerns as well, and that came from the large extended family too.

While it is clear that birds ought to be more intelligent than shikaris, what actions should they take if their family begins to question their behaviour. Though there are no strict regulations, it is essential that they adhere to flock rules.

Mouse managed to help pigeons trapped in a hunter’s net because of their unity. Had they taken different paths, the mouse wouldn’t have had a chance to rescue the pigeons.