Much to the delight of bird watchers and public alike, Chennai region has a rare visitor: the bar-headed goose. Though this bird has been spotted in other bird sanctuaries in Tamil Nadu and other states, this is the first time that the bird has made a landing in Chennai, said nature enthusiasts.

Bar-headed geese that fly at high altitude were spotted by bird watchers at Kelambakkam

Chennai:

“This bird is seen in other sanctuaries like Vedanthangal, Pulicat and Koothankulam in the state. But it is a rare sight to find it in Chennai, which, surprisingly, has arrived during the migratory season,” said KVRK Thirunaranan, an avid bird watcher and the founder of the Nature Trust. 

About six bar-headed geese, said to be the birds that fly at the highest altitude, were sighted and documented near Kelambakkam -Kovalam link road on December 29, added Thirunaranan.

Explaining that these birds travel long distances during migration and are found to settle in mountain sides, Madras Naturalists’ Society secretary G Vijayakumar said this was the first time he was hearing of bar-headed goose visiting Chennai region.

According to experts and enthusiasts, the migration season attracts many kinds of birds to wetlands like Pallikaranai marshland and Perumbakkam in Chennai, but never such birds that fly at high altitudes.

The bar-head geese breeds in Central Asia near mountain lakes, and they stay in Western Ghats and other mountain areas.

Meanwhile, forest officials assured that all migratory birds would be protected from poaching. “The officials have already formed anti-poaching watch committee,” said G Kiran, district forest officer in-charge of Chennai district.