Lesser flamingo in Pallikaranai

Bird trackers are now collecting details related to this rare sighting close to Chennai. While greater flamingos do visit TN and AP, sighting lesser flamingo is a new recording in Chennai said K.V. R. K. Thirunaranan, founder, The Nature Trust, who is now documenting the bird migration along

with the forest department.

This data on migration of lesser flamingo is a very rare case. The bird was documented last week the feather pattern and the pictures of the lone wader is now under documentation and will be shared with the forest department. Similarly, the recent other sightings of white stork and a rosy pelican in Pallikaranai had also been documented, Thirunaranan said.

Bird watchers usually throng the Pulicat bird sanctuary located on TN Andhra border and Point Calimere (Kodiakkarai) but sighting of flamingoes in Pallikaranai is becoming more common and it is a visual delight to see these large wading birds in close quarters, said advocate Santhanaraman, who specialises in environment related legal cases.

“With waders and duck varieties like Pintail, Shovellers, Sandpiper and Stork varieties being recorded in thousands in Pallikar-anai there is a need for better conservation plans”, said N Balaji, an avid bird tracker. Agencies such as Chennai corporation, metro water and the forest department should take steps to reduce pollution by arresting discharge of sewage and dumping of waste, he said.