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In a city ruled by deadlines and notifications, these birding tours offer something rare – unstructured time. Phones remain in pockets. Conversation slows down.
When people learn to recognize birds, they also begin to notice shrinking wetlands, disappearing trees and increasing noise levels. Image: blrbirders.com
At 6.45 am in quiet Bengaluru on Sunday, while most of the alarm clocks are still snoozing, a small group gathers near Lalbagh West Gate. There’s no yoga mat, no running shoes. Just binoculars, a notebook and a lot of excited whispers.
Someone points to the lake inside Lalbagh and says, “Did you see that flash of blue?” The other replies, “He’s a kingfisher, don’t scare him.” And just like that, the city slows down – not for the traffic, but for the birds.
These mornings have become sacred for 32-year-old software professional Ananya Rao. “I used to wake up late on Sundays and scroll through my phone for hours. Now I get up early to see what the birds are doing. This seems like a better way to start the week,” she says, adjusting the strap of her binoculars before starting the walk.
How did bird watching become a weekend ritual?
Over the years, Bengaluru has quietly built one of India’s most active urban bird-watching cultures. At its center are BLR Birders (https://blrbirders.com/), a group of nature lovers who organize regular bird walks across the city. Every Sunday, enthusiasts gather in different green areas – lakes, forest paths and wetlands – to observe, learn and enjoy the birds that share the city with them.
Most of the participants are not experts. Many come with nothing more than curiosity. But sometimes on tours there are experts who happily share their knowledge on birds and everything related to them. Most importantly, these walks are free and open to everyone.
“People think birdwatching is for scientists or photographers with fancy lenses,” says Suresh Naik, a longtime volunteer who helps coordinate the walks. “But the truth is, you just need patience and a little surprise. The birds do the rest.”
What happens on a bird walk
A typical walk starts just after sunrise. Groups meet at a designated location shared in advance through the BLR Birders Network. From there, they move slowly, stopping frequently to identify birds by sight and sound.
On a recent Sunday, excitement reached its peak when a purple sunbird hovered near a flowering bush. Eight-year-old Aarav, who was joining his parents for his first outing, whispered, “It feels like a flying gem.” His mother later laughed, “I brought him here to get him off the screens. I didn’t expect him to fall in love with birds in a single morning.”
Experienced bird experts explain how to recognize the differences between similar species, why some birds migrate and how urban development is changing their habitats. Without the pressure of exams, every move becomes a walking class.
where this sunday walk takes place
Depending on the season, birding meets take place all over Bengaluru. Popular locations include lakes like Hebbal, Madiwala and Puttenahalli, wooded areas near The Valley School and serene green areas around East Bengaluru and the outskirts.
Every place tells a different story. Wetlands attract water birds and aquatic animals. The tree-lined path is frequented by songbirds and sunbirds. Even experienced birders are surprised during the migration season. “Every year, there’s that one Sunday when someone screams, ‘This shouldn’t happen here,'” smiles Prakash Naik. “Those are our favorite days.”
Why are more Bengaluruans joining?
In a city ruled by deadlines and notifications, these birding tours offer something rare – unstructured time. Phones remain in pockets. Conversation slows down. The attention shifts from the screen to the treetops.
For Ramesh Iyer, a 61-year-old retired banker, walking became a new routine after losing his wife two years ago. “There used to be a lot of peace at home on weekends,” he says. “Now I come here, talk to people, watch birds. This doesn’t eliminate the loneliness, but makes it lighter.”
Office goers, schoolchildren, photographers, grandparents – the crowd changes every week, but the mood remains the same. Quiet, curious, quietly joyful.
Not just a hobby, but cool protection
Beyond leisure, these walks sow the seeds of awareness. When people learn to recognize birds, they also begin to notice shrinking wetlands, disappearing trees and increasing noise levels.
“You only protect what you care about,” Naik says. “Once someone discovers that a particular bird has a nest on that tree near their house, they think twice before cutting it down.”
For BLR birders and similar groups, awareness is the real victory. The footprint may be small, but the ripple effect is big.
back to that sunday morning
By the time Bengaluru fully wakes up, the birds are already on their way home. They leave footprints on muddy paths and carry with them stories of what they saw – sometimes a rare visitor, sometimes just a familiar sparrow that stood out in the early light.
Ananya packs her binoculars and says this is the best. “The city doesn’t change on these visits. But I change. I go back noticing things I never noticed before.”
And perhaps it is the quiet magic of Bengaluru’s Sunday birders. They are not chasing great feats. They’re just learning to look closer — at the sky, at the trees, and at a city that still sings, if you wake up early enough to listen.
January 15, 2026, 16:56 IST
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