The greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) பெரும் பூநாரை Chennai Wetland Birds Perumbakkam Marshland birds || Bird watching

The greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) பெரும் பூநாரை

    Common at Perumbakkam Mashland area but have not observed at Medavakkam lake area. 

The greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) Photo credit: U Elaya Perumal

         Distributed from Africa and southern Europe through West Asia to South Asia. Very large, with long, "coat hanger" neck, big kinked bill, and very long pinkish legs. Plumage at rest whitish with pale pink blush and some deep pink often visible on closed wings. Flies with long neck and legs extended, when deep pink-and-black wing pattern striking (ebird).

The greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) Photo credit: U Elaya Perumal

The greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) is the most widespread and largest species of the flamingo family. It is found in Africa, the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, and in southern Europe (wikipedia).

The greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) Photo credit: U Elaya Perumal

The greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) Photo credit: U Elaya Perumal

பெரும் பூநாரை (Greater Flamingo) என்பது நாரைக் குடும்பத்தைச் சேர்ந்த ஒரு பறவையாகும். இதன் அறிவியல் பெயர் பீனிகாப்டெரசு ரோசசு என்பதாகும். நம் வீடுகளில் வளரும் வாத்தின் பருமனுடைய இப்பறவைக்கு நீண்ட முடியற்ற சிவந்த கால்களும், நீண்டு வளைந்த கழுத்தும், குறுகிய வளைந்த அலகும் இருக்கும். கால் விரல்கள் வாத்துக்கு இருப்பது போலவே சவ்வினால் இணைந்திருக்கும். நிமிர்ந்து நின்றால் 1 1/2 மீட்டர் உயரம் இருக்கும். இப்பறவைகள் செந்நிறம் கலந்த வெள்ளையுடலும் கரு நிறமான இறக்கை ஓரமும் கொண்டவை. நிலத்திலும் அதிக உப்புத்தன்மை அதிகமுள்ள ஏரிகளில் கடும் வெப்பத்தையும் தாங்கி வாழும் பூநாரை, தமிழகத்திலுள்ள கோடியக்கரை வனவுயிரினங்கள், பறவைகள் உய்விடம் புகலிடத்திற்கு வரும் எண்ணற்ற பறவைகளில் மிகவும் அழகான ஒன்று. இப்பறவைகள் கூட்டம் கூட்டமாகப் பறந்து உயரச் செல்லும் காட்சி மனதைக் கவரும் தன்மை உடையது (wikipedia).

The greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) Photo credit: U Elaya Perumal

Indian spot-billed duck (Anas poecilorhyncha) புள்ளி மூக்கு வாத்து அல்லது புள்ளி மூக்கன் Chennai Wetland Birds Perumbakkam Marshland birds || Bird watching

 Indian spot-billed duck 

Indian spot-billed duck (Anas poecilorhyncha) at Perumbakam Marshland (Photo Credit: U Elaya Perumal)

அலகின் (அலகின்) நுனியில் ஒரு மஞ்சள் நிறப்புள்ளி உள்ளது இவைகளின் தனிச்சிறப்பு.

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Anseriformes

Family: Anatidae

Genus: Anas

Species: A. poecilorhyncha

Binomial name: Anas poecilorhyncha Forster, 1781

Indian spot-billed duck (Anas poecilorhyncha) at Perumbakam Marshland (Photo Credit: U Elaya Perumal)

The spot-billed duck species was little frequent at Perumbakkam Marshland and they were flying towards Pallikaranai Marshland direction. In Medavakkam lake only once during mid of March we have sited some of these ducks but not on other days. that does not mean these birds are not present in Medvakkam wetland area, we might be missing the time for observing these birds.

Indian spot-billed duck (Anas poecilorhyncha) at Perumbakam Marshland (Photo Credit: U Elaya Perumal)

Indian spot-billed duck (Anas poecilorhyncha) at Perumbakam Marshland (Photo Credit: U Elaya Perumal)

The Indian spot-billed duck (Anas poecilorhyncha) is a large dabbling duck that is a non-migratory breeding duck throughout freshwater wetlands in the Indian subcontinent. The name is derived from the red spot at the base of the bill that is found in the mainland Indian population. When in water it can be recognized from a long distance by the white tertials that form a stripe on the side, and in-flight it is distinguished by the green speculum with a broad white band at the base. This species and the eastern spot-billed duck (A. zonorhyncha) were formerly considered conspecific, together called the spot-billed duck (A. poecilorhyncha) Source: Wikipedia.

Indian spot-billed duck (Anas poecilorhyncha) at Perumbakam Marshland (Photo Credit: U Elaya Perumal)

A large grayish-brown duck with a diagnostic yellow-tipped black bill and a red spot at the base of the bill (missing in certain subspecies). In-flight, note the green panel in the wing that is bordered in white. Often seen in small groups dabbling or tipping up in shallow water or walking on marshy land at the edge of freshwater lakes or in cultivated fields. Usually not seen associating with other species. Similar to Eastern Spot-billed Duck, but note green wing panel, lack of a distinct dark "moustache", and overall warmer tan coloration (Source Ebirds).

Black-winged stilt (Himantopus himantopus) நெடுங்கால் உள்ளான் Chennai Wetland Birds Perumbakkam Marshland birds || Bird watching

 Scientific classification

Kingdom:   Animalia

Phylum:           Chordata

Class:           Aves

Order:           Charadriiformes

Family:           Recurvirostridae

Genus:           Himantopus

Species:           H. himantopus

Binomial name: Himantopus himantopus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Black-winged stilt observed at Perumbakkam Marshland  (Photo Credit U Elaya Perumal)

    The Black-winged Stilt is very common in Perumbakkam marshland. we have not observed them at Medavakkam lake or near Annakkili Amma Research Institute. which makes us think that this bird is not visiting Medavakkam Marshland. The Perumbakkam marshland is a bigger area with a shallow water body which is the supporting habitat for the Black-winged Stilt. hence they reside more near Perumbakkam Marshland, the habitat is similar to Pallikaranai also, but are yet to visit Pallikaranai Marshland (The Major Marshland/wetland of Chennai)

Black-winged stilt observed at Perumbakkam Marshland  (Photo Credit U Elaya Perumal)

The black-winged stilt (Himantopus himantopus) is a widely distributed very long-legged wader in the avocet and stilt family (Recurvirostridae). The scientific name H. himantopus was formerly applied to a single, almost cosmopolitan species. It is now normally applied to the form that is widespread in Eurosiberia and Africa and which was formerly regarded as the nominate subspecies of Himantopus himantopus sensu lato. The scientific name Himantopus comes from the Greek meaning "strap foot" or "thong foot". Most sources today accept 2–4 species. It is sometimes called pied stilt, but that name is now reserved for the Australian species, Himantopus leucocephalus (Wikipedia).

Black-winged stilt observed at Perumbakkam Marshland  (Photo Credit U Elaya Perumal)

    Fairly common to locally common in warmer regions. Favors wetlands with open shallow water, often brackish; breeds on bare ground near water, often in noisy colonies. Striking and essentially unmistakable, with elegant shape, boldly pied plumage, long hot-pink legs, and long, very fine bill. Feeds by wading in the water, picking with its bill from the water surface. In-flight, long pink legs stick out far beyond the tail (ebird).

நெடுங்கால் உள்ளான் (Black-winged Stilt - Himantopus himantopus) என்பது நீண்ட கால்களைக் கொண்ட கரைப்பறவைகளுள் ஒன்றாகும். இது நீர் நிலைகளுக்கு அருகில் வாழக்கூடிய பறவை ஆகும்.

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) சாம்பல் நாரை Chennai Wetland Birds Medavakkam & Perumbakkam Marshland birds || Bird watching

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)

             These birds have been spotted in Medavakkam Lake and also in Perumbakkam Marshland. the Grey heron was occasionally spotted at Medavakkam Lake but in the Perumbakkam Marshland area, it was found with high frequency. 

Grey Heron at Perumbakkam Marshland (Photo Credit: U Elaya Perumal)

               Generally quite common and conspicuous in wetland habitats from marshes and tidal flats to small ponds, ditches, and wet fields; nests colonially in tall trees. Mainly seen as singles or in small groups, standing quietly in or at the edge of the water, less often hunting in fields. Plumage mostly gray overall, with a paler neck; the adult has a white crown, black eyebrows, and black shoulder patch. Like other herons and egrets, flies with necks pulled in to form a bulge.

Grey Heron at Perumbakkam Marshland (Photo Credit: U Elaya Perumal)

             The grey heron is a long-legged predatory wading bird of the heron family, Ardeidae, native throughout temperate Europe and Asia and also parts of Africa. It is resident in much of its range, but some populations from the more northern parts migrate southwards in autumn (Wikipedia).

Grey Heron at Perumbakkam Marshland (Photo Credit: U Elaya Perumal)

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Pelecaniformes

Family: Ardeidae

Genus: Ardea

Species: A. cinerea

Binomial name: Ardea cinerea Linnaeus, 1758

நதியன், நாராயணப் பட்சி, நரையான், கொய்யடி நாரை, கருநாரை பெருங்கொக்கு, சாம்பல்கொக்கு ஆகியவை இதன் வேறு பெயர்கள்.