Sitting by the window, my mind wandered off to days of my childhood, memories of the summer vacations I spent being lazy, and the spoiled grandchild of my grandparents that showered me with their love. They had a big garden that became our playground in the day and a picnic spot in the evening. We spent our days chasing butterflies, trying to catch the beautiful insects as colourful as the flowers they sat on. I think that is where my obsession with colours also started.
Every colour evoked a different feeling; like colours had their own emotion they represented and their own story that came out through the world. Red is angry but beautiful, blue is calm but deep, and white is serene. Apart from butterflies and flowers, my eyes would often wander, looking for the small colourful birds hiding between the green trees, teasing me, and playing hideseek. My quest for new birds with new colours every day never seemed to end.
Look, grandma, that bird is beautiful. What is its name?; I asked, and she answered my curious questions the best she could. In the big garden, grandma used to place small bird baths in different places. I often asked;but why grandma? They can fly. They can drink water from anywhere, then why would the birds come here and drink from our birdbath?
It became our ritual. Every morning we would wake up and clean the birdbaths, fill them with fresh water, and enjoy the calmness of early morning, sunrise, and the sounds of the birds surrounding us.I always imagined these birds singing a sweet tune waking up the world to a new day with their melody.
One hot summer day, the scorching sun forced me to stay in; I sat on the veranda with my grandmother, thinking of my life back home, one I was not ready to go back to. Grandma called for me and said, “Look child, the birds are coming to our birdbath to drink and relax in the cold water. Our birdbaths give them a place to cool down. You love to look at the birds, but it is also important to take care of them. Our one small action gives so many birds the gift of water.
This ritual and the memories of my grandmother built my habit of always keeping a birdbath on my balcony. Even when I moved places, I kept a bowl of water outside. After long hours of working and studying or just a bad day, I would come back to the birds drinking water from the bowl I put outside. It lifted my spirits immediately. Who said I did not do anything productive today? I gave some birds a place to drink, relax, and enjoy.
Imagine a day without a fan or AC in the peak of summer, sweat dripping down your back, heavy breathing, and there comes a glass of icy cold water. Bless the person who invented the fridge. Birdbaths give birds a constant supply of freshwater to drink, cool down, clean themselves, and get away from the sun. Overheating can have severe effects on birds, sometimes leading to death. Apart from this, studies suggest that bathing helps them keep their feathers clean. Feathers are their lifeline impacting their flight, therefore, their chances of survival. We should also keep in mind that while birdbaths aid birds, it is also necessary to regularly clean them and ensure proper maintenance.
Birds are an integral part of our ecosystem, and it is our responsibility to ensure that they have the resources to face harsh conditions. Our one small initiative can fulfil the basic need of so many birds.
We are a part of this environment, and it is time we commit to it.