Cry of the Lapwing bird

Did we do it??

Did we do it? Did we do it? I cried all day and night

Chose him for his puffy feathers and stiff tie black and bright;

Together we snuggled our eggs warm and tight

Laid you on the ground while we watched over you on flight;

Stashing on the ground scrape did shield you from predator

Never guessed you will be ruined for rainwater;

Fringed your beauty by embellishing with pebbles and droppings

I’m tear down to hear those raindrops mocking;

Every drop of water fell called out for vengeance

What matters now is my chicks’ emergence;

Held his arms straight and asked him, ‘Did we do it’?

Failing to the thunderstorm he said, ‘Sorry honey we couldn’t do it’.

-         Sangeetha Michahial

Summary:  This is the song of a female lapwing bird crying while she and her male partner tries to protect her eggs being ruined by the rainwater.

    Lapwing is a bird which makes calls both during day time and night. The call of the lapwing resembles to that of loud “Did we do it”. During the courtship, the male bird makes sure to attract the female by making is feathers puffy. Females will choose the strongest male so that her future generation survives better. In case of lapwing both male and female will incubate the eggs. Sometimes the parent birds will watch over their eggs from far or on flight. Eggs are laid on the ground scrapings to protect them from predators. Eggs are usually decorated with sheep or horse droppings and small stones and pebbles to keep it unnoticed from predators. Survival chances of lapwing eggs are only 45-50%. Sometimes the heavy rain can change the quality of the egg content and ruin it. The eggs become paler if it is destroyed out of rain water. Did we do it in this poem has two meaning, first one is how the call of the lapwing sounds like and second one depicts how a female lapwing cries in front of her husband  asking “Did we do it?” (Meaning:  Did we manage to save our chicks”?) Now read it again. 

Dedicated to Trinity College Mysuru, College Magazine.