Bird watchers had recently sighted, Red Headed Bunting, a migratory bird from Europe, at Gobichettipalayam here.
G.J.C. Moulie sighted the bird on Bungalow Pudur Road on December 6. “It is always easy to miss a Bunting as it mostly resembles a Baya Weaver or a Warbler from behind and from distance. But, something struck me that this is not the usual size of a Weaver and doesn’t carry the plumage of a Warbler either and hence decided to take a few clicks”, said Mr. Moulie with the help of the local birding community friends and enthusiasts V.R. Sundaramanikkam and D. Veramani, identified the species.
This species breeds in Afghanistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia, Central Asian Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan and during winters, the bird arrives at various parts of the country and was first sighted in the State in 2018. The bird breeds in open agricultural land and lays three to five eggs in a nest in a tree or bush and consumes seeds and insects. Gray Necked Bunting was also spotted in and around Gobichettipalayam suburban areas recently and this raised a lot of attention and among birding enthusiasts, who flock these areas to record it, said Mr. Moulie.
Though common, beautiful birds Baillon’s Crake, Red Avadavath, Golden Oriole, Cinnamon Bitterns, both Yellow and Black, and Streaked Weavers were sighted in the areas during the current season.