I was looking up at the sky when a soft, musical whistle floated through the air. Following the sound, I spotted a flock of  Lesser Whistling Ducks (Dendrocygna javanica) landing in the lake near me. These ducks are perhaps the most courteous ducks you will ever meet. Instead of the familiar, rather rude “quack” we associate with ducks, they communicate through clear, melodious whistles.

These medium-sized ducks, with their cinnamon-brown plumage, long necks, and elegant legs, seem very calm and peaceful. Whether gliding across lakes, ponds, marshes, or flooded fields, their unhurried grace sets them apart from many of their more energetic cousins. The sound they make is unlike the usual chorus of quacks, squawks, and cackles of most waterbirds that you hear near water bodies.

The image of a duck floating serenely on water reminded me of a beautiful sher by the famous Urdu poet, Javed Akhtar:

Pur-sukoon lagti hai kitni jheel ke paani pe bat,
Pairon ki be-tabiyan paani ke andar dekhiye.

(How tranquil the duck seems as it glides across the lake, you witness the frantic labour of its feet when you see inside the water)

It is a wonderful metaphor for the hidden struggles behind an outwardly calm life. But I suspect Javed Akhtar sahab may not have had the Lesser Whistling Duck in mind. Unlike most ducks that paddle hurriedly beneath the surface, these birds seem relaxed. They spend long hours floating peacefully on lakes, ponds, marshes, and flooded fields. As the sun rises or sets, their rich chestnut plumage glows with a warm golden sheen, making them one of the most elegant birds in our wetlands.

Photos and text by Prerna Jain.