By Obiabin Onukwugha
The Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica) is a small passerine migratory insectivorous song bird. As its name suggests, the Bluethroat is known for the vibrant blue plumage that adorns its throat and upper breast. The rest of its body is a brownish-gray color, with hints of orange and black on its wings and tail.
Males have blue throat with red center, while females have white throat with a blue band across the bottom. Bluethroat bird prefers to spend most of its time on or near the ground, foraging for insects and other small prey.
It breeds in wet birch wood or bushy swamp in Europe, Africa and across the Palearctic with a foothold in western Alaska. It nests in tussocks or low in dense bushes. It winters in the Iberian Peninsular, the northern half of Africa, West Africa and in southern Asia, including the Indian subcontinent.
The Bluethroat’s most distinctive feature is its song, which is a complex and melodic mixture of whistles, trills, and warbles. Males use this song to attract females and defend their territory. According to researchers, its song also tells the changing seasons between the dry and wet seasons.
Moults begins in July after breeding and are completed in 40-45 days, before they migrate. During the winter months, many Bluethroats migrate to India in search of suitable breeding and feeding grounds. It is said that Bluethroats typically arrive in India between the months of October and November, after making a long and arduous journey from their breeding grounds
Life expectancy for the blue throat is up to five years. While the global population of Bluethroats is believed to be stable, certain populations in specific regions may face threats from habitat loss and degradation, as well as predation from invasive species.
The major role of blue-throated hummingbirds is pollination of flowers and shrubs. As they feed these birds drop seeds, thus playing an important role in forest regeneration. They also help control insect populations that could pose a threat to agricultural products.
In many cultures, the Bluethroat is revered as a symbol of love and fidelity, and its image has been immortalized in poetry and art throughout the ages.
How the bluethroat bird got its unique patch
It is said that once upon a time, a powerful Prince named Bhima was laying down on the forest floor after a tiring day and a hearty meal.
Then the joyous season of spring was breaking through the cold of the winter.
As the comfort of sleep beckoned, Bhima looked around him to admire the scenic location. He noticed the mountains rising in the distance and the thick cluster of trees enveloping him.
Groups of little birds hopping on the grass and dozens of colourful butterflies hovering around the shrubs.
But the Pandava warrior did not notice a little green snake slithering in the grass behind him. With eyelids heavy, Bhima soon fell into a deep sleep.
After a while Bhima was awakened by a shooting pain behind his ear. Bhima sat up and saw the snake slide away. Fear, like he had never known before, gripped him. He felt the venom spreading inside his body and his head felt dizzy.
How could he get the venom out of his body? What could he do to prevent the venom from taking his life? Bhima looked around him in desperation. There was nobody he could turn to for help.
Then a little red-throated bird that was hopping on the ground nearby, noticed Bhima’s agony. Quickly flying over to him, she dipped her pointed beak into the wound caused by the snake bite and began to suck out the venom.
Poking her bill into the prince’s flesh over and over again, the little bird sucked out all the venom and spit it out.
Bhima watched in amazement and marvelled at the kindness and efficiency of the little sparrow-sized bird. A tiny little creature had saved the life of the mightiest of warriors. He felt humbled.
Bit before long, he noticed the little red patch at the bird’s throat slowly turn blue. Filled with venom, the little bird slumped onto the ground. Bhima felt dreadful. All his might and strength could not save a little bird that had selflessly and graciously, saved his life.
As Bhima worried, a band of bulbuls hopped over to help the little bird. Sucking out nectar from red flowers in the bushy shrubs, they emptied it into the throat of the dying bird.
As the nectar got into the bird’s throat, the venom was washed away and the bird’s strength revived. Soon she was able to stand and after a little while, she began to merrily hop around as usual.
No longer red-throated,’ he noticed as the now blue throated bird hopped around busily on the ground searching for insects.
