Common Hawk-Cuckoo (Juvenile)

[Saktipada Panigrahi]

Lovely image from the Sundarbans. This bird perches so high on tall trees, it is difficult to get such nice eye contact.

So many poems and songs have been written on it and its call in Bengali literature, and yet you mentioned only one Bengali Name- ''Papiya'', not others like " Pee-kahan" or "Chokh Gelo".

Sahebs do not like it , they call it -"Brain fever, Brain fever".

I love this bird as during my school days when the whole village would be deep asleep , its screaming call "Pee-kahan, Pee-kahan" [meaning 'Where is my love?'] was my only companion and inspiration in those cold winter nights.

Thanks for sharing.SaktiWild