Diario de dhairyasheel_dayal

A shieldtail snake was observed feeding on an earthworm, on a road. The earthworm was about the same length as that of the snake, and was slightly thinner than the snake. The snake first was observed to have caught the hold of the earthworm, later the snake started swallowing the earthworm. It took about an hour for the snake to swallow its prey. At first, both were on the edge of the road, afterwards the both of them went just beside the road - in the battle between prey and predator, twisting, curling around each other, dragging one another. Even when about 80% of the earthworm was swallowed, still its body and tail were seen moving and twisting.

Links to the video documentation (videos on youtube):

1. https://youtu.be/1iJsjhacRXU
2. https://youtu.be/oGQjA_84hmg
3. https://youtu.be/tXPUyQU1ilA

Link to the video documentation: https://youtu.be/2Ab1mm_h9xc

It was late morning time in April 2020, and from my balcony I was observing, on a common fig (anjeer) tree - Ficus carica - were a red-vented bulbul - Pycnonotus cafer - and a coppersmith barbet – Psilopogon haemacephalus.
The mentioned common fig (anjeer) tree is located in the Kesarkar Peth, Satara. The tree is beside the balcony of my residence.
1 The red-vented bulbul is a passerine bird, found throughout India, and also in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar.
The red-vented Bulbul was making a particular display to the Coppersmith Barbet. The display included red-vented bulbul holding its wings in line with its body and constantly waving both the wings at the same time. But the wings weren’t completely opened or stretched.
The barbet was in the adult plumage, appeared very calm and quiet, and very curious towards what the bulbul was doing; looking at the bulbul by turning and tilting its neck. It kept curiously looking at the bulbul’s display. Threatened or not, impressed or not, at last, the barbet chose to change its perch and move away.
I have observed this display by Red-vented Bulbuls before, as well.
Once a rat snake was approaching the nest of the Red-vented bulbuls, and I saw a pair of bulbuls making this same display, along with a typical call; the tone of which was repeated at specific intervals, continuously. Like an alarm.
This may be a ‘threat display’, where Red-vented Bulbuls want the visitor or attacker to leave their premises. But, it is also possible that the same display serves multiple purposes. Also, this display seems to be done by other passerine birds, too.
Indian white-eyes - Zosterops palpebrosus - are birds which forage in groups. Few times, during morning, I have seen them making the same display to another individual in their group.
The White throated-fantail - Rhipidura albicollis - is known to make a threat display with its tail feathers; by erecting and spreading them like a fan.
2 The Birds of Paradise are very well known to make fabulous displays. Among them, the male Carola’s Parotia - Parotia carolae - is known to make different dance moves to attract the female. The main event of his dance is called as the ‘ballerina dance’. During his dance, multiple females are perched nearby him, observing his dance. The male Paradise riflebird - Lophorina paradisea - too is known to make display to the female.
While certain displays made by a bird are made to the individual (of different gender) of same species, where the purpose of the display is to attract the other individual, it is likely that the display is a threat display made by the red vented bulbul to the individuals of other bird species, to other animals, and sometimes even to the members of its own species, when they are intruding his space.
We commonly see passerine birds around, but still they continue to surprise and fascinate us with their behaviour.

References:

1. Salim Ali. The Book of Indian Birds. Thirteenth Edition. BNHS Oxford.
2. http://www.birdsofparadiseproject.org/ [Accessed on 4th May, 2021.]
3. http://datazone.birdlife.org/ [Accessed on 4th May, 2021.]

Link to the video documentation: https://youtu.be/2Ab1mm_h9xc