Love is in the Air

STORY BEHIND THE IMAGE:

Baya Weaver are cute palm sized birds. You can see them mostly in rural areas of India near to any water source like pond or lake. The courtship ritual of Baya Weaver is truly an epic love story. Let us hear it!

The Male Baya weaver (‘the guy’) must earn his love and it is not that easy. The guy builds the nest all by himself except for the tunnel portion in the nest. You can see a nest without tunnel in the captured moment. Then, the guy hangs onto the edge like a professional gymnast and pedals his wings so fast to call his love. The female baya weaver (the girl) would visit multiple nests and based on the nest construction and quality of it, she would select her guy. Once they become a pair, they would build the rest of the nest together. How romantic isn’t it??

After months of perseverance and honing my skills, I captured this split second moment of a male baya weaver calling his love and the girl on her way to his nest!

Love is in the Air (Baya Weaver Nesting Behavior)

NatGeo YourShot Publication:

This image is published in National Geographic and the NatGeo editor has given his feedback as well.

Love is in the Air (Baya Weaver Nesting Behavior) – NatGeo Award

Love is in the Air (Baya Weaver Nesting Behavior) – Story

Love is in the Air (Baya Weaver Nesting Behavior) – Frame

Love is in the Air (Baya Weaver Nesting Behavior) – NatGeo

About the Author:

Alvis Lazarus

Alvis Lazarus is a Professional Wildlife Photographer from Nazareth. Alvis specializes in Wildlife Portraits and Wildlife Action Photography; he has traveled across India to see and photograph the rich wildlife of Incredible India. Alvis says “Wildlife Photography has an infinite learning since not a single wildlife moment repeats itself in the wilderness and that makes wildlife photography so challenging and exciting”.