98 A BIRD CALENDAR 



As the shades of night begin to fall family 

 parties of spotted owlets issue from holes in 

 trees or buildings. The baby birds squat on 

 the ground in silence, while the parents make 

 sallies into the air after flying insects which 

 they bring to the young birds. 



The peafowl and sarus cranes are indulging 

 in the pleasures of courtship. The young 

 cranes, that were hatched out in the monsoon 

 of last year, are now nearly as big as their 

 parents, and are well able to look after them- 

 selves ; ere long they will be driven away and 

 made to do so. The display of the sarus is not 

 an elaborate process. The cock turns his back 

 on the hen and then partially opens his wings, 

 so that the blackish primaries droop and the 

 grey secondary feathers are arched. In this 

 attitude he trumpets softly. 



The water-hens have already begun their 

 uproarious courtship. Their weird calls must 

 be heard to be appreciated. They consist of 

 series of kok, koks followed by roars, hiccups, 

 cackles and gurgles. 



Black partridges, likewise, are very noisy 

 throughout the month of May. Their nesting 

 season is fast approaching. 



Even as April showers in England bring 



