An Ethno-ornithological Analysis of the Chātaka Bird Archetype in Sanskrit and Vaishnava Traditions: Reconsidering the Classical Identification

Abstract: This paper reconsiders the classical identification of the mythical Indian bird Chātaka (Sanskrit: cātaka) with the Jacobin Cuckoo (Clamator jacobinus), which has been prevalent in European Indology since the 19th century. Utilizing an interdisciplinary approach that combines Sanskrit textology, lexicographical analysis of Vedic records, the philosophical conversations of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1975–1977), and fundamental data from modern ornithology, the author posits that the family of Swifts (Apodidae) represents the most precise biological prototype of the Chātaka. Detailed behavioral, anatomical, and ecological markers are analyzed to demonstrate how the attributes of the swift family align with the "celestial lifestyle" of the Chātaka as described in the Indian scriptures. The study also offers an alternative perspective and a comparative analysis involving the Common Iora (Aegithina tiphia). It contains a strong humanitarian and ecological context aimed at reconsidering the sacred status of swifts in urban environments.