Tamil Nadu: Pied Avocet seen for the first time in Nanjarayan Tank, Tiruppur

Tiruppur: Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avocetata), a winter migratory bird that breeds in Europe and is rarely found in inland water-bodies, has been spotted for the first time in Nanjarayan Tank and Tiruppur city. The sighting of the Pied Avocet has taken the number of bird species at Nanjarayan Tank Bird Sanctuary to 187.

On Tuesday, forest supervisor Shivamani clicked pictures of the bird and sent them to Nature Society of Tiruppur (NST) Geetha and she confirmed that the bird was the Pied Avocet. Subsequently, NST Chairman Ravindran Kamchi visited the tank with Manoj and again recorded the presence of the bird.

“It is a winter migratory bird that breeds in Europe and Central Asia. It visits the Indian coastline during winter. More birds can be seen on the west coast. There is also a possibility that a bird may have landed here through the Palghat ghat stretch,” said Raveendran.

“Earlier the presence of the bird was recorded at Nallathangal Dam near Dharapuram a few years ago by members of the Dharapuram Nature Society. It is a coastal bird and is rarely found in inland water bodies, and has no records in inland water bodies in Tamil Nadu apart from Nallathangal Dam,” he said.