Chennai Lake Becomes Flamingo Hotspot: 400 Birds Arrive

Nemilichery Lake, situated along East Coast Road in Chennai, has unexpectedly become a haven for approximately 400 Greater Flamingos. This development comes as traditional resting places for these iconic pink birds, namely Pulicat Lake and Point Calimere Bird Sanctuary, have witnessed a stark decrease in their numbers. District forest officials confirmed the absence of flamingos from Pulicat Lake, spanning both Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh sides.

S Balachandran, a former deputy director at the Bombay Natural History Society, noted a sharp drop in Greater Flamingo sightings at Point Calimere this season. Wildlife warden Akhil Thampi reported no arrivals yet at the recently declared Greater Flamingo Sanctuary in Ramanathapuram, with numbers significantly lower than in previous years. This broader trend of delayed arrivals, also observed at Thane Creek in Maharashtra, suggests potential disruptions linked to climate shifts or food scarcity.

In contrast, Nemilichery Lake has drawn an impressive gathering of over 50,000 birds, including both migratory and resident species. Birder K V R K Thirunaranan highlighted sightings of rare birds such as the little tern and over 700 Brown-headed Gulls. The lake's inter-tidal dynamics provide an abundant food supply, primarily prawns, which attracts a diverse avian population year after year. Many of these birds are currently in vibrant breeding plumage, indicating their imminent departure for northern breeding grounds within the next 25 days.