The Company of Birds in Social Isolation

Parul Sarwal, MD

My acquaintance with birding was a happy accident. I had just graduated from medical school and moved back into my family home in Chandigarh, India, to work part-time as a research associate. My evenings were reserved for studying in preparation for residency and frequently punctuated by spells of gazing out the window. It was during one of these interludes that I spotted something on our peach tree that I had never seen before – a strange bird with a red crown. Hastily grabbing my camera, I stole a shot just in time. The remainder of the evening was spent describing to Google what I saw – until I established that this intriguing visitor was the black-rumped flameback (Dinopium benghalense), a common woodpecker. Well, that was it. I had found myself in possession of what seemed to be yet another fleeting hobby. But as the year went on, this was what helped keep my wits about me as I spent most of it by myself, working on my research or studying. By the end of it, I had a species list of thirty-eight birds, all in my backyard alone.

Social isolation could be the maxim for the year 2020 and has changed the meaning of life and living as we knew it. Having spent the entirety of “the surge” from April through June as a resident in COVID-19 units, and the majority of it in critical care, I have been fortunate to be able to keep myself engaged during this time. Friends outside of medicine have shared with me the challenges of a hiatus from either work or workplace. It is something I can empathize with, as would most of my colleagues. The average physician has spent a more-than-average amount of time in some variety of social isolation at some stage of their career. Some of us find it easier to bear— even find solace in— the solitude, while others may feel the brunt of being left in the company of their own reflections. Regardless, the disruption of a work routine, however mundane it may have seemed before, has insidious consequences on the mind. In this pandemic, I imagine, children have probably had it harder than adults. Their sense of self is yet to develop, and their lives revolve much more around their social axes. In such times, they may find a welcome distraction in

scouring their surroundings for some of our winged companions and, in the process, spending quality time with their families.

Our social tendencies are replicated closely, even comically, in the anthropomorphic behavior of my personal favorite, the Indian silverbill (Euodice malabarica). They are small and gregarious birds with short, cheeping calls. I first encountered them as they passed through Chandigarh on their way south at the end of winter that year. I would find the peach tree flocked with these effervescent creatures late in the afternoons. They started staying around longer once they discovered the buffet of birdseed on the balcony. They would arrive on time every day for supper and, once content, take off in quick succession. If one of them decided to stay back for an extra helping, you would find their mate waiting for them on the balcony rails. It was their courting behavior that I found particularly endearing. The female would park herself beside the male on a branch. He would coyly slide away and she would chase him, both bouncing sideways towards the far end of the branch (I may or may not have reversed the gender roles here). Once out of branch, they would both fly off, either together or apart, depending on which way the wind blew…

The time I spent watching the birds would probably amount to several days in totality. I used an online database of bird calls, xenocanto, to guide my little foragers to the birdseed when they were new to our backyard. (One must employ caution and consideration with such resources, as exposure to artificial calls can sometimes stress or confuse birds.) The Merlin Bird ID app by the Cornell Lab is a brilliant resource for identifying birds. Worcester and the surrounding region have an abundance of nature centers and sanctuaries, making it the perfect haven for birdwatching. New England’s largest urban wildlife sanctuary is right here at Broad Meadow Brook in Worcester. In addition to over 160 species of birds, it welcomes about half as many butterflies who star in the Annual Butterfly Festival (this year, virtually). The Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary in Princeton is another such reserve with a nature center. It has been developed around an erstwhile farmstead with barns and rustic constructions lending to its character. It is connected

to the Wachusett Mountain and trails. The Burncoat Pond in Spencer and the Eagle Lake in Holden are among the other sanctuaries in this region that host migratory waterfowl during spring and fall. The Mass Audubon Society frequently organizes bird walks and programs to observe ongoing research such as banding techniques used to study the migration of birds.

above The crimson-breasted barbet (Psilopogon haemacephalus) and the peach tree in bloom.

Amidst this wealth of birding opportunities, you can imagine my excitement when I found out about my residency mentor’s (Dr. Joel Popkin) fervor for birding. I have especially enjoyed his lectures due to our shared interest in the humanities and one of my favorite parts is the pictures from his birding expeditions he often includes. When I expressed my interest in writing this piece, he shared with me Dr. Joshua Schor’s perspective* in the New England Journal of Medicine on fighting burnout with birding. Dr. Schor beautifully articulates my own long-harbored opinion – how birding is much akin to the art of diagnostic medicine. Both require an unwearied observation of the physical and the behavioral in discerning the answer, be it the bird’s beak or the bird-beak sign. It is thus no wonder that a good number of birding enthusiasts happen to be physicians, as my interactions with the birding community have revealed, both back home in India and over the digital sphere.

Within or outside of medicine, the pandemic has given us a chance to rediscover the outdoors. It has left nature cleaner and clearer, inviting wildlife to venture out in areas previously considered hostile territory. Whether it is the domestic turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) out on a saunter in the neighborhood, or the dapper cedar waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) berry-hunting in the local park, the company of birds can be a stimulating way to socially isolate. +

*Joshua Schor. When Sparks Fly — Or How Birding Beat My Burnout. N Engl J Med 380;11. March 14, 2019:997-999

Parul Sarwal, MD is a final-year internal medicine resident at Saint Vincent Hospital. After graduating from Kasturba Medical College in India in 2015, she completed a research fellowship at Mass General Hospital before moving to Worcester for residency. She is looking to pursue a career in gastroenterology and medical editing. Having led editorial ventures in high school, medical school, and then her research training, she is excited to continue her commitment to writing through Worcester Medicine as a resident representative.