New Delhi, Dec. 21 -- January 2025. A Steppe eagle, a migratory bird of prey from Central Asia, soars high over the Aravalli hills. As we watch, it coasts in the air, and then locks its gaze on a garbage mountain that is taller than the surrounding hills. At Bandhwari landfill near prosperous Gurugram, the Steppe eagle dives to forage for pickings. If it sickens on refuse, we will never know, as it carries on its continental journey.

February 2025. Caught in a sudden storm, we hear a screech that cuts through the din of horns and the swish of the rain in Delhi. Above the conference area of the India Habitat Centre, a Barn owl hoots as dusk descends. In the daytime, Alexandrine parakeets haunt the same area, making as much noise as we do ...