CHENNAI: For the first time ever, chicks of the greater flamingo were photographed in Tamil Nadu, throwing speculation on whether the majestic birds are breeding in the State. The juvenile flamingos were spotted in Great Vedaranyam Swamp, which is part of the Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary.
S Balachandran, deputy director, Bombay Natural History Society Regional Migration Study Centre in Kodiyakarai, said: "At least two juvenile birds that are less than one year old were spotted among the single largest congregation of more than 10,000 flamingos. My colleague had seen a juvenile flamingo in Point Calimere, sometime in 1993; but there was no photographic evidence. This was the first time we could photograph it."
The young ones were sighted during a field inspection carried out on December 25 by Chief Wildlife Warden Shekhar Kumar Niraj and scientists from BNHS. The greater flamingo, with a pink beak and a brownish-black tip, is the largest of flamingo species. The Great and Little Rann of Kutch in Gujarat are their only known breeding sites in Asia.
Balachandran said a more in-depth study will be needed to understand whether the flamingos are breeding in TN or in the inaccessible natural habitats located in Jaffna region of Sri Lanka. "We had tagged four flamingos in 2010 and had tracked their movement for three years. The data suggested their movement was limited to Point Calimere, Pulicat, and Dhanushkodi. During summer months, they preferred to go to the shallow natural wetlands in Sri Lanka. But, there is no evidence of them breeding there."
He said few mounds resembling flamingo nests were found in Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary in Tirunelveli in the past, but added it is unlikely that they breed there as the area turns bone dry during summer. On the contrary, the chances of flamingos breeding in Point Calimere is comparatively higher as there are pockets in the region where water is available all throughout the year.
Chief Wildlife Warden Shekhar Kumar Niraj told TNIE flamingos prefer shallow water bodies having brackish water that breeds shrimp, molluscs, plankton, and algae, as these are their preferred food. "Point Calimere has all the characteristics needed for flamingos. We will shortly tag few birds with transmitter to track their movement real-time," he added.