Flamingos make Rann of Kutch home this winter

RAJKOT/MUMBAI: The heavy rainfall in arid Kutch this monsoon may have played spoilsport for agrarian community in the region but it has provided flamingo birds an ideal and favourable breeding place for a longer time. Lakhs of flamingos flock to the region for breeding every year.
According to Dr BM Parasharya, joint secretary, Bird Conservation Society (Gujarat), a good monsoon in greater Rann of Kutch has provided the bird favourable conditions for birds for breeding.
This year, it has been quite encouraging for the flamingoes here. "When there is a good monsoon and food chain is available for these birds, they extend their stay till April as well,`` Parasharya told TOI.
Parasharya is an ornithologist and an expert on flamingo. "It is good news for Kutch that they have not been reported elsewhere like Mumbai. Apparently, they have found an ideal place this season,`` Parasharya said.
The Flamingo city is located in Greater Rann of Kutch. It is near the border areas and is often inaccessible for common people and this provide the birds a secure place.
But, what has come as good news for Kutch, has spelt disappointment for Mumbaikars. Though the migratory birds have kept their date with the city, large flocks have been absent this year from bird watching hotspots like Sewri and Vashi.
September onwards every year, many Mumbaikars look forward to the arrival of migratory birds, especially flamingos. But this time round, the pink-feathered birds are clearly missing. "Generally, by the end of November, large flocks of waders can be seen at mudflats and creeks n the city. But this year, the flocks have shrunk," said Adesh Shivkar, an ornithologist in the city.
Among such species are red shanks, plovers, wagtails and warblers, which come to wetlands like Uran, besides Sewri and Vashi. The numbers of even rosy starlings and birds of prey such as osprey, buzzards and marsh harriers have dwindled.
"There is a clear decline in the number of migratory birds spotted in the city compared to previous years. Earlier, we could easily spot waders and Aquila eagles in good numbers," Shivkar said.
Ornithologists said some birds, including flamingos, did not migrate to the region this year because of the prolonged Monsoon. "Flamingos breed in the Rann of Kutch and migrate to Mumbai in search of food. This year, however, Kutch received good rainfall, as a result of which algae (flamingos` food) has been available in plenty," said Mayuresh Khatavkar, who leads bird-watching trails for environmental organisations like Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS).
"Only when the water starts receding in the Rann, will the birds migrate to this region (Mumbai). This could take a couple of months," he said.
Many migratory birds come from Central Europe, Central Asia, Siberia, Mongolia, the Middle East, the Himalayas and the trans-Himalayan region. Some, like the Amur falcon, are passage migrants, which, on their way from Mongolia and central Russia to Africa, halt in India.