Jungle Babbler - The Welcoming Bird

Visit a jungle and probably the first bird to welcome you could be a Jungle Babbler (argya striata). Not just one but at least seven at a time, of which, one will openly receive you, while the others follow in tandem like curious kids at home.

Since they move around in groups, they are also known as 'Seven Sisters' in English and 'Saaat Bhai' in Hindi. I personally find these names unsuitable because their numbers aren’t fixed and can range anywhere between six and ten.

These birds are notoriously loud, making harsh cackling calls, which quickly reveal their presence. By foraging together, they easily satiate their hunger. And while doing so, a few take the role of sentinels, cleverly showcasing the power of unity.

Like humans, they are highly gregarious often seen 'allopreening', which means mutual grooming. It resembles a familiar early morning or late night scene: a mom fondly (sometimes firmly), picking lice from her child's hair. 

https://youtube.com/shorts/vRQXROeB2M8?si=otsarGPkEJvSwj0g

Many birds display such behaviour but babblers are more open about it. Studies have even shown their interactions to be more comparable to social primates than to many other birds.

Photographing a Jungle Babbler isn't difficult. The bird isn’t shy. It allows close-up shots before casually shooing away. And perhaps, that’s just their way of welcoming you… on a brown carpet.