Rare bird gives birders cause to stare

Coimbatore: The migratory season of birds to the city has started on a positive note with birdwatchers spotting an Isabelline wheatear, a winter migrant that only visits north western states and countries.

City-based birdwatchers Gajamohanraj and Kishore Kumaran had spotted the rare bird at Kalangal near Sulur on Saturday and Sunday. "It is a migratory insectivorous. Its habitat is open country steppe grass lands and deserts. It breeds in southern Russia and central Asia to northern Pakistan, wintering in Africa and northwestern India. This is the first record in Coimbatore district and there are only a few records in Tamil Nadu," Gajamohanraj told TOI.

Kishore Kumaran said, "We chanced upon the unusual bird, sitting on a rock, during an usual birdwatching outing. The bird was not shy and allowed us to get close to it. We took photographs of the bird and looked it up in the book 'Birds of Indian Subcontinent' by Richard Grimmett. We then sent the photos to experts and confirmed the sighting."

"This is the first time that this bird has been recorded here. In Tamil Nadu itself, there are only four records on this bird," said an excited Kishore.

Scientists at the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (Sacon) confirmed the sighting. They said that the bird must have lost its way and ended up in the city.

"We will watch it for another week to find out if it has come as a visitor or as a migrant to the city," said Gajamohanraj. The bird was recorded in Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary in Tirunelveli in December, he said.

Birdwatchers said that the pattern of migratory birds has been different each year. "Regular winter visitors have been recorded as usual. But, this is an extremely rare sighting. The bird is expected to travel to north-west part of the country soon. It may be here only for a few days," Gajamohanraj added.