Lesser whitethroat

Kolar gold field, Karnataka

For me, the Lesser Whitethroat is a very underrated yet beautiful bird. It is not commonly found in Karnataka, but sometimes it visits a few places in and around Bangalore to surprise us. We saw it at Varthur Lake and Hoskote Lake, but at that time, I couldn't take any pictures, which made me a bit upset. It's frustrating when you see the bird right in front of you, but somehow miss the chance to capture it. So, I was waiting for a better opportunity.

This is a small bird with a very beautiful color pattern. From its name, you can tell that the color of the throat is white, and the body color is grayish with a black wing edge. If you look closely, you’ll notice that the iris is not entirely black. Whenever I try to photograph it, I make an effort to capture the details, but unfortunately, I haven’t been able to do so.

This bird typically stays in small flocks, rarely coming out of the bush and never staying still. Therefore, it has been difficult to capture a good shot, even when it roams alone. However, somehow, that day I managed to take a few shots. I was particularly happy to see this bird with my own eyes.

Varthur lake, Bangalore, Karnataka

At Varthur Lake, I could only manage to capture this much. I remember being able to see the bird from outside, but it was busy with its own activities. It hardly came out and gave me time to photograph it. It generally searches for small caterpillars or insects on the tree branches and leaves.