A view from ‘Rapylon’: This migratory season, watch raptors stick to their perches

Perches in high places are crucial for raptors to launch their raids. A tour of the Siruthavur lake and Perumbakkam wetland shows the rabid loyalty displayed by migratory birds of prey to their vantage points

The lone male common kestrel would be pugnacious in the defence of its territory, at the Siruthavur lake, intrepidly flinging itself into the arena, even taking on raptors many times its size.

“We have seen the common kestrel mobbing the resident red-necked falcon and the short-toed snake eagle, which is five to six times bigger,” recalls eBird reviewer Gnanaskandan Keshavabharathi.

Known in local birding circles for his keen eye for raptors, Gnanaskandan has a reliable theory explaining the dynamics of how the underdog triumphs in this unequal match-up. “Due to their agility, all these smaller raptors have an upper hand over the large raptors, which cannot manoeuvre so quickly in the air,” notes Gnanaskandan.