Red-headed vulture spotted on an unusual terrain near Coimbatore

In what appears to be a rare sighting, a bird watcher from Coimbatore spotted a Red-headed vulture ( Sarcogyps calvus ) or King vulture from Theethipalayam near Peur on Tuesday, much away from its existing known habitat in the region – the Moyar valley in the Nilgiris.

N. Srinivasan, a private school teacher from Gandhipark in Coimbatore and an active member of the Coimbatore Nature Society (CNS), spotted the vulture when he went to the area for birding.

“I photographed the bird which was on the flight towards the Siruvani hills. I shared the photo with CNS office bearers G. Prakash and R. Selvaraj who confirmed its identity,” said Mr. Srinivasan.

As per details available with birders and nature enthusiasts, sightings of Red-headed vulture in Coimbatore district were documented only within the limits of Sirumugai and Mettupalayam forest ranges that lie close to the eastern slope of the Nilgiris where Moyar valley is located.

Moyar valley is home to three out of the nine vulture species in India that are listed as critically endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species namely Red-head vulture, White-backed vulture and Long-billed vulture.

“Red-headed vulture or King vulture or Black vulture was once present all across Tamil Nadu. It was also used to be called Pondicherry vulture. The sighting of Red-headed vulture in a place far away from Moyar valley could be a sign of the extension of their territory”, said S. Bharathidasan, secretary of the non-governmental organisation Arulagam which is involved in conservation of vultures.

Mr. Prakash of CNS said that the Red-headed vulture spotted from Theethipalayam could be a vagrant or an individual that was into range extension.

“It is a good sign that Red-headed vulture, which scavenges the carcasses of wild animals, was recorded from an urban area of Coimbatore district. Siruvani hills are also home to trees that are preferred by Red-headed vulture for nesting,” he said.