MADURAI: Flocks of pinkish-hued flamingos lounging around shallow waters during their migratory journey have become a spectacular sight for the people visiting Madurai. Birders from Madurai noted that the flamingos at large have arrived in the city after a couple of years and the unexpected arrival of the birds has brought joy to the residents.
With the temperature slowly rising, indicating the onset of the summer season, it also implies the conclusion of the migration season. Ahead of taking off for their next journey, flocks of migratory bird species are seen actively feeding in waterbodies, especially shallow waters. Over the recent year, the Avaniyapuram tank and the Samanatham Kanmoi have become major pit stop for most migratory birds. From Pelicans to Asian openbills and migratory duck species, many bird species have been spotted in the Samanatham tank and Avaniyapuram tank, including the flamingos that joined the show in 2017.
Over the past couple of days, around 40 to 50 flamingos have been spotted actively searching for food in the area. Rajesh, a professor of a city-based college and a birder from Madurai said, "a large number of flamingos were seen in Rameswaram in Ramanathapuram and Tirunelveli during the migratory seasons before the pandemic. However, over the past five years, the numbers had dropped. Compared to the previous years, the water levels in the tanks this year are sufficient, which could be the reason behind the large turnout of flamingos," he said.
Further speaking, he added that the district administration should take action towards preserving the habitat in Samanatham and Avaniyapuram like Arittapatti for the migratory birds, citing that the migratory birds can be beneficial for the environment.
Other bird watchers from Madurai said the district administration should take action towards preventing people from disturbing the tank during the season, as there are people disturbing the birds by involving in fishing activities. Action should be taken towards preventing pollution in the tanks too and preventing the usage of crackers or high decibel sounds during the season as it may scare off the birds, they added.
K Abhishek a resident from Avaniyapuram said, the residents were taken by surprise to see lots of migratory birds like Pelicans and open bills in the irrigation tanks in Avaniyapuram and Samanatham. "Each year, the number of bird species arriving around this time of the year seems to be increasing in our area. And this year, we were fortunate to see the large flock of flamingos. We request the city corporation to take action towards preventing garbage dumping and sewage releasing into the tank, so that the bird species can arrive to the tank every year," he said.