Looking Inward

An unusual raptor sighting sparks a change in perspective

Photos by Swapnil Pandey

July 18, 2022

Black kite (Milvus migrans) in the city of Gurgaon, India

Black kite (Milvus migrans) in the city of Gurgaon, India

The city of Gurugram is one of the principal hubs of India's digital economy, a place well known for its steel and glass skyscrapers and its corporate headquarters—not its wildlife. Amateur photographer and financial consultant Swapnil Pandey was surprised, then, when he spotted this black kite (Milvus migrans) perched on the ledge of a building in the CyberHub office complex. For Pandey, the encounter sparked a bracing change of perspective. People have grown used to thinking of wildlife as constrained by humankind—but perhaps we're the ones in the cage, longingly looking outward.