Flocks of the rare Little Stint, a migratory bird species that travels vast distances from Siberia, have arrived in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, on Sunday, March 8. Smaller than a tennis ball, these remarkable birds undertake long-distance migrations, traversing continents to find suitable seasonal habitats in coastal stretches, salt pans, and marshlands.

According to M. Mathivanan, Senior Research Associate and Coordinator at the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), these rare Little Stints migrate in large numbers from Europe to India to escape harsh northern winters.