A sound like a whistle carried through the early hours of Amravati, so clear and oddly human that it made the ordinary flow of the morning feel briefly unsettled. It did not belong to the usual chorus of the city waking up, and that was exactly why it caught attention.

Wildlife photographer Amey Namdeo Thakare, along with senior wildlife expert Dr Swapnil Sonone and nature enthusiast Shantanu Patil, had stepped out for what they expected would be a routine walk. All three were well acquainted with the usual bird calls of the region. This one, however, made them pause.

At first, they dismissed it. Perhaps someone nearby was whistling. But the sound came again, consistent and........

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