The southern parts of the city and its suburbs have become a haven for birdwatchers, of late, with multiple sightings of rare species.
A group of zoologists have detected the unusual presence of woolly-necked storks, a ‘vulnerable’ species, near the wetlands of Attukal. While the presence of the migratory bird has been reported from various places, including Sasthamcotta, Vembanad, kole wetlands and along the banks of the Bharathapuzha in Palakkad, it has been spotted in Thiruvananthapuram, possibly for the first time. They were spotted in paddy fields of the College of Agriculture, Vellayani, functioning under Kerala Agricultural University.
The large wading bird, which is approximately 95 cm long, has distinct features with black head and body with an iridescent sheen, and white neck and underbelly. The large bill is grey with a reddish tip and the bird has deep red eyes.
The legs and feet are also prominently red in colour. They are known to inhabit wetlands, marshes, rivers, ponds and lakes.
According to R. Sreejai, Assistant Professor at the Department of Zoology, St. Stephen’s College, Pathanapuram, who led the research team, the woolly-necked storks (known as ‘Karuvarakkuru’ in Malayalam) were found to be comfortable in the paddy fields and adjoining areas along with black-headed ibis and egrets, which are commonly found in such wetlands.
Both genders of the species are similar in appearance, while the juveniles are duller and lacked the iridescence that is notable in mature ones.
They are predominantly carnivorous with their diet consisting of fish, frogs, toads, snakes and lizards. Woolly-necked storks have been categorised as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
It was yet to be ascertained whether the presence of the migratory bird species in hitherto unexplored regions could be attributed to climate changes, even while such factors could affect migration patterns.
The presence of large tracts of paddy fields in the region, which included Vellayani and Punchakkari, has led to a large number of migratory birds flocking to the area.