Harini walked slowly through the garden, making her way through the flower bushes and vegetable creepers below the great big banyan tree, her t-shirt barely protecting her from the snappy branches of the thorny bushes. She loved exploring the garden and the larger trees, and today she was on a mission to find some new friends. As she approached the large banyan tree, she spotted a tiny, intricately sewn nest, made by stitching together large leaves of a bush nearer to other flower plants, hanging from a branch. A female Tailor Bird, Darzee, was perched on a nearby branch, watching Harini with curious eyes.
Harini's face lit up with excitement. "Hello! I'm Harini! I live in the house nearby," she exclaimed, her voice barely above a whisper.
Darzee tilted her head to one side, her greenish feathers rustling softly. "Hello, Harini! I'm Darzee. And that's my husband, Darzi," she said, nodding towards a nearby bush.
Harini followed Darzee's gaze and spotted the other Tailor Bird, Darzi, who actually looked the same, peeking out from behind a leaf. He gave her a friendly chirp and fluttered his wings.
Harini giggled. "You're so tiny! I love your nest. How do you make it?"
Darzee puffed out her chest proudly. "Ah, it's a lot of hard work! We use threads from spider webs, cotton, and plant fibers to stitch up our nest. It takes us about 3-4 days to complete."
Harini's eyes widened. "Wow, that's amazing! I've never seen anything like it. What do you eat?"
Darzi flew out from behind the bush, chirping excitedly. "We eat insects, spiders, and sip on flower nectar! We forage for food in the garden and surrounding areas."
Darzee added, "We also drink water from the birdbath near your house. We love it when you refill it with fresh water."
Harini smiled. "I'll make sure to refill it every day! Do you have any babies?"
Darzee's eyes sparkled. "We have two chicks, and they're growing fast! They're learning to fly and forage for food. It's a big job being a parent, but it's so rewarding."
Harini's face lit up with excitement. "I want to see the babies! Can I help with the food?"
Darzi chuckled. "You're welcome to help, Harini! We do not allow anyone to come closer to the nest. We need to be careful, and we do not expose our babies to the very curious who love to explore."
"Why?" Harini asked.
"There could be predators watching and we do not want to expose our nest or our young ones."
Harini grinned, eager to help. "I'll be careful! I will check up on you and your family after your young ones have left the nest and are flying about, I promise. Can I come back tomorrow and talk to you again?"
Darzee and Darzi exchanged a look, and then Darzee nodded. "We'd love that, Harini. Come back tomorrow, but do not come near the nest and we'll show you where we fly to in search of our food and water."
As Harini walked back to her house, she felt happy knowing she had made some new friends under the banyan tree. She couldn't wait to visit Darzee and Darzi again and learn more about their lives as Tailor Birds.
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