Mumbai residents were offered a breathtaking visual treat last week when hundreds of thousands of migratory Lesser Flamingos (Phoeniconaias minor) flocked to the creeks of Navi Mumbai.
Every year, thousands of flamingos migrate to Mumbai. Their numbers peak in hotspots like Navi Mumbai creek, Thane creek, Bhandup Pumping Station and Sewri.
The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) said there has been a 25% cent increase in flamingo migration since 2019, when 120,000 (1.2 lakh) visited. This year, an estimated 150,000 birds have been spotted in the first week of April itself.
Deepak Apte, director of BNHS, said the lockdown has given flamingoes a moment of peace and quiet to roost without disturbance. “Wetland destruction and developmental activities across several areas of the eastern seafront is another reason why larger bird numbers are getting squeezed into smaller pockets like in Navi Mumbai,” he explained.
Every March, BNHS hosts and celebrates an annual ‘Flamingo Festival’. This hugely popular event, which takes the form of a “nature fair”, provides an excellent opportunity for nature lovers to observe and enjoy dozens of species of wetland birds, with tens of thousands of flamingos being the main attraction!
Special thanks to Hindustan Times for the fabulous picture.
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Chosen as 'Picture of the Week'
BNHS said there has been a 25% cent increase in flamingo migration since 2019, when 120,000 (1.2 lakh) visited. This year, an estimated 150,000 birds have been spotted in the first week of April itself.