India, Aug. 2 -- Parenting presents an extreme challenge to red-wattled lapwings, especially while nesting in urban settings. Eggs are laid on the ground and are vulnerable to odious predators such as stray dogs and cats. The chicks scurry along the ground and hide desperately to evade constant threats, making good use of the camouflage afforded by a downy look. Sometimes, lapwings lay eggs on roofs, and chicks find themselves in an odd spot with the anxious parents creating a cacophony to distract the covetous gaze of a hawk. Alighting on trees to escape predators is not an option for lapwings as they lack the toes required for gripping branches, especially the critical hind toe which is absent or underdeveloped. Evading hunters and guiding chicks to hunt goes on simultaneously for the harried lapwing parents. Wildlife photographer Parveen Nain witnessed a tiny chick nail a prey in the garden of the physics department, Panjab University. Nain took photographs and added a pithy, thoughtful description of the 'kindergarten lesson' staged in the shadows of the haloed hall of physics. "A chick took its first independent steps into the world. Every movement was driven by instinct, every glance a search for its next meal. The chick's sharp eyes spotted a wriggling earthworm emerging from the soil. The worm was longer than what the chick had expected, but giving up was never an option for the little one. With determination, the chick grabbed the prey. The earthworm resisted, twisting and stretching in desperation. Yet, the chick patiently adjusted the grip of its bill on the earthworm, learning with every defiant tug. After a few attempts, the chick secured its prized food. That day, the chick didn't just catch a worm. It earned its first victory, while a parent proudly witnessed another milestone in the journey from dependence to independence," Nain told this writer....