Ahead of monsoon, flamingos start flocking to Kanyakumari

MADURAI: Though the climatic conditions are yet to become conducive for their arrival, flamingos have started arriving at the Manakudy estuary in Kanyakumari district. Seventy pairs of these winged visitors were observed at the estuary during a survey carried out by a team of environmentalists and wildlife biologists sponsored by Tribal Foundation and Enviro Link.
With their extraordinarily long and sinuous necks, slender pink legs, cup-shaped beaks and white bodies laced with scarlet and black shades on the flanks, the birds were seen wading through the shallow waters of the serene Manakudy estuary .Flamingos are regular visitors to places like Dhanushkodi near Rameswaram and coastal areas of Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Tuticorin districts. They can be spotted in these regions from October to mid-February every year. A few years ago, bird watchers from Pearl City Nature Society in Tuticorin documented greater flamingos in the hinterland of the state, like Tenkasi. Flamingos predominantly migrate from the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat to escape the harsh winter there.
Environmentalist S S Davidson from Kanyakumari said that the greater flamingo (phoenicopterus roseus), the most widespread species of the flamingo family , is found in parts of Africa, southern Asia in the coastal regions of Pakistan and India and southern Europe. Standing about 1.5 metre tall, these webfooted birds reside in mudflats and shallow coastal lagoons with saline water. They wade through shallow water for food, he said.
The unpolluted Manakudy estuary ecosystem provides ample food to the avifauna.
The moderate climate, perennial availability of water, safety and security provided by the local people and the strict vigilance maintained by the forest department are positive indicators for the survival of the winged visitors, added Davidson.