Birder Profile–Urmi Neogi

wo vibrant Scarlet Finches perched on a delicate branch, feeding on seeds, surrounded by green foliage in a natural setting. Photographed by Anand T

This profile features Urmi Neogi, an avid birdwatcher with a passion for sharing her love of birds with enthusiastic audiences. She also enjoys collecting bird pins and books about birds.

Please tell us a bit about yourself. What do you do and where do you live?

I have been a gynecologist and obstetrician by profession for 30 years, but a birder by passion since I entered my teens.

When and how did you get interested in birding?

I live in the city of Prayagraj but grew up in the cantonment area of Ranikhet, Uttarakhand, where my house was surrounded by a jungle.
I was in Class 7 when my father was gifted Salim Ali’s The Book of Indian Birds. My siblings and I got hooked because we had seen many of the birds mentioned in the book around us, even some uncommon ones like treecreepers, nuthatches, verditer flycatchers, and the brightly colored minivets. Suddenly, we realized that every bird around us had a name. Our birding journey began without binoculars—simply observing birds quietly with our eyes and listening to their different calls.

Do you have a favourite bird or birds? Why is it/are they your favourite?

Every bird feels like a favorite to me, each one bringing its own thrill. However, the brightly colored birds of my home in the hills will always hold a special place in my heart.

Do you have a birding partner or a group you enjoy birding with? How is birding alone different from birding with others?

I don’t enjoy going birding alone; I prefer a small group of two to three people. Fortunately, my current hometown, Prayagraj, has some very dedicated birders, and we have a group called Stray Birds of Allahabad.

What is your most memorable birding experience?

So far, my most memorable birding trip has been near Prayagraj, where I saw an Indian Pitta. However, there have been many other memorable trips—one in search of skimmers and another looking for bitterns. My birding experience became much more enjoyable after I bought a pair of binoculars.

Anything on the birding bucket list? (Doesn’t have to be a bird, could be a place, witnessing a phenomena, etc)

My bucket list is long, with many lifers waiting for me in the Northeast, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Odisha, the Rann of Kutch, Kashmir, Ladakh, and beyond. But first, I must seek out the Monal Pheasant, the state bird of my Uttarakhand, which I have yet to see.

Which of the two do you enjoy more and why: a) regular birding around your house/local patch/district, or b) widespread birding in different landscapes across different districts and states?

I enjoy patch birding in an area rich with birdlife, like Sattal.

How has your approach to birding changed over the years?

My approach to birding remains the same—I enjoy listening just as much as quietly watching. In fact, I can identify more birds by sound than by sight.

Have you set any birding goals for the coming months?

I don’t really have any specific birding goals. I’m neither a photographer nor someone aiming for a large number of lifers. For me, birding is more about relaxation—a form of meditation in the heart of nature—and it definitely recharges me. It’s a hobby bordering on passion in the sense that I’m always ready to do it anytime, anywhere.