Winged migrants arrive early this season to Vaduvoor

CHENNAI: Well ahead of the migratory season, a larger number of local migratory birds have made to Vaduvoor birds sanctuary in Tiruvarur district recently.

Tiruvarur district forest officer AS Parthiban said presence of nearly 40,000 birds belonging to 84 species have been recorded in the sanctuary. Some of the birds such as white ibis, pond heron and egrets have extended their stay in the sanctuary. “Actually they came here in October last year to roost and nest and still continue to stay here,” he said.

In January this year, the upper portion of the tank was de-silted and deepened. With the good rains last year, the deepened portion had plenty of fishes. Availability of a large quantity of feed could have made them (the birds) extend their stay at the sanctuary, Parthiban said.

Black-headed ibis, pond herons and egrets have stayed back at the sanctuary this year. Ashy Prinia, Asian Brown Flycatcher, Asian Openbill, Barn Swallow, Baya Weaver bird, Bay-backed Shrike, Bengal Bush Lark, Black-crowned Night Heron Black-winged Stilt, Blue-faced Malkoha, Brahminy Starling, Hawk cuckoo, iora, kingfisher, moorhen, myna, pigeon, sandpiper, snipe, tailorbird, coppersmith barbet are some of the terrestrial birds found in the sanctuary.

Eurasian coot, garganey, Indian spot-billed duck, lesser whistling duck,little grebe, northern pintail, northern shoveler, purple swamp hen are some of the wetland birds that have made Vaduvoor their seasonal home, Parthiban said.

The district actually boasts of two birds sanctuaries. The second one is at Udhayamarthandapuram, which is a smaller sanctuary. Here also nearly 20,000 birds are there, adds Parthiban.