Heat is no longer just temperature; it has become a tragedy—especially for those whose voices are neither printed in the newspaper nor on TV nor in the trending list of social media. We are talking about those small birds who silently die of thirst in this scorching sun, dry winds, and concrete jungle. “If someone pours water on me, I will also drink a handful of it..”.”—this line is no longer a soft imagination of a poem; it is a living truth, a helpless call, which rises every afternoon on some roof, on some dry branch, from behind the grill of some hot window.
Cities took away the shade of birds
We cut down trees, filled ponds, closed balconies with cement, and made the sun hotter with tin roofs. In the name of modernity, we cooled our houses with ACs but forgot to leave a sip of water for the birds.
The places for birds to make nests are decreasing. Now there are no trees left for them, no shade, nor the traditional culture in which there used to be an earthen bowl filled with water on the parapet of every house.
Birds dying of thirst: Not statistics, but warnings
Many environmental organizations are reporting that the mortality rate of birds is increasing continuously in summer. Especially small birds like sparrows, pigeons, mynas, and bulbuls fall unconscious in the hot afternoons, and if they do not get water on time, they even die. But do their deaths become part of any news? Is any government announcement made on this? Is any “NGO conference” called for them?
If the birds don’t survive, neither do we
Birds are not just an ornament of the skies; they are an integral part of our ecosystem. They control pests, help pollinate, spread seeds, and, most importantly, they keep the music of life going. If birds disappear, this earth will become more desolate — and so will we.
We have to understand that these tiny creatures bring big warnings from nature. When they are dying of thirst, understand that water scarcity is now heading towards us as well.
Be “life-friendly,” not “bird-friendly.”
Today, there is a need for us to become a “bird-friendly” society. This is not a big movement; it is just small things. Keep an earthen bowl filled with water on the roof or balcony. Plant trees, especially native trees like neem, peepal, and guava. Tell children about birds—teach kindness, empathy, and connection. Make arrangements for shade and water for animals and birds in summer. Also inspire places like temples, mosques, and gurudwaras to make arrangements for water for birds. This work does not wait for any government. It is in your hands.
A drop of sarcasm: “We will pay the electricity bill but will not provide water to the birds.”
We will burn thousands of rupees worth of electricity to run an AC but are stingy about keeping a bowl of water. We will spend crores to build smart cities, but we are not smart enough to spare something for the mute. In our society, ‘compassion’ has also become an Instagram reel—just a show-off, no impact.
From the roof of the city to the village square—a call
Even in villages, old ponds are drying up, stepwells have broken down, and it has become difficult for animals and birds to get drinking water. There was a time when birds used to come to drink water on the banks of every well in the village. Today those wells have been sealed with cement. Cities gave “development” to villages, but that development became a disaster for birds.
Climate change: These are affected before the birds.
The first and direct impact of climate change is on mute creatures. Even a slight increase in temperature can be fatal for them. Humans turn on fans, eat ice, and go to the doctor. But where should birds go? Whom should pigeons tell that they are thirsty?
Concluding: Are we really human?
We call ourselves intellectual, sensitive, educated, and developed—but is any civilization really worthy of being called “developed” when it sees its fellow creatures dying and yet remains silent? Every summer gives us a chance to think—this time, can we create a corner on the roof, window, balcony, or courtyard of our house where a small bird can drink a beakful of water?
Maybe there is no need to answer. Just look at a bird next time the sun is overhead…and remember—
“If someone pours water, I will also drink a handful of it…”
Author is a Research Scholar in Political Science
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