Ganesh H Shankar's Image

The parakeets were not impressed. They had returned to their nest to find a Bengal monitor lizard had settled in. The birds immediately set about trying to evict the squatter: biting and hanging off its tail. This went on for two days, giving Ganesh several chances to capture the fast-moving action.

Rose-ringed parakeets are intelligent birds that usually nest in small holes for better protection from predators. Monitor lizards are good climbers, particularly young ones, which seek safety in the trees. They scavenge for anything, from small invertebrates to frogs, birds and small mammals – as well as eggs.