Laughing gull, a migratory bird from North America, has been sighted for the first time in the country at the Chittari estuary in Kasaragod district.
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C. Sreekanth, a birdwatcher and school teacher, spotted the bird and photographed it. The bird, known for its unique laughter-like calls, has travelled thousands of kilometres from North America to the coastal region of the State.
Amidst a multitude of birds in the estuary, including lesser black-backed gull, slender-billed gull, brown-headed gull, great crested, lesser crested tern, Caspian tern and others, Mr. Sreekanth noticed a smaller bird with black beak, which piqued his interest. It was smaller than the brown-headed gull.
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“Upon closer examination, it was found that the bird has a dark upper part, black legs, long drooping bill, and a dark smudge on the back of the head, confirming it to be a laughing gull,” he said.
He then reached out to J. Praveen, Chief Editor, Indian Birds, Journal of South Asian Ornithology, and birding experts G Jinu, John Garret, Aident Kiley, and Hans Larsson, who confirmed this finding.
The e-Bird application, dedicated to collecting scientific bird information, played a vital role in disseminating this finding.
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This discovery elevates the total number of bird species found in India to 1,367, with Kasaragod district contributing 400 species to the State’s overall count of 554.
Mr. Sreekanth has around 20 years of birdwatching experience. He has previously spotted THE Asian house martin at Paithalmala in Kannur.
The laughing gull’s presence in Kasaragod adds a new chapter to the region’s rich biodiversity. Birdwatchers and researchers are eager to conduct further studies to understand the migratory patterns and the reasons behind this extraordinary visit.
Nine rare bird species, including Egyptian vulture, were spotted in the district last year.