As I was driving my bike along the East Coast Road, a sudden flash of bright blue caught my attention and my eyes rolled to follow the blue flash of light. If you’re wondering what it was,it was the Common Indian Roller, such a beautiful bird which is calm, shy and when approached flashes its beautiful blue feathers and flies away. Just a cover up to distract you from its mischief.
What is happening to its habitat? Most of the times we tend to overlook the common species found and the same is the case with the Common Indian Roller. This bird feeds on insects in long stretches of dry land and farmlands; and nests in holes of Coconut Trees or the Asian Palmyra Palm. All of these have been decreasing at a very fast rate along the stretch of the East Coast Road, which in turn affects the population of this bird; unless they start adapting!
Where can you spot these birds? Just a drive along the East Coast Road and you can see these birds sitting on electric cables above the dry grasslands. But you need to wait patiently for it to reveal its beauty. The best time is between February to May, which is the breeding season. During this period, the male display their acrobatic skills and hence earn their name. Please do not disturb this bird and its habitat, live and let live!
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