Flamingo numbers at the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary are expected to rise over the next two weeks, experts told mid-day, easing concerns among tourists and birdwatchers (Pic/Sachin Rane)
The increase is expected as birds begin arriving from Kutch in Gujarat, where drying water bodies typically trigger their movement towards Mumbai and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR)
Naturalist and birder Sachin Rane said that, "Flamingo arrivals in Mumbai have always fluctuated depending on rainfall patterns and food availability, so this year’s delayed arrival is not unusual"
Every year, thousands of flamingos arrive in and around Mumbai, with Thane Creek, Airoli, Mahul, and Sewri emerging as major hotspots
Thane Creek has attracted large numbers of flamingos. By November, these birds and their chicks usually settle on the mangrove-lined mudflats and stay until May
Of the six flamingo species found worldwide, two are seen in India-the Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus), the tallest species, and the Lesser Flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor), the smallest. Greater flamingos are taller, with light pink bodies, black-tipped pale beaks, yellowish eyes and a distinctive S-shaped neck
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