A birding enthusiast from Pollachi documents oriental dwarf kingfisher in Anamalai Hills

The oriental dwarf kingfisher is documented for the first time in Anamalai Hills of the Western Ghats

“At first, I couldn’t believe my eyes,” recalls Pravin Shanmughanandam, a birding enthusiast. He was looking at a gorgeous bird perched atop a tree at the Anamalai Hills near Pollachi, a mountain range of the Western Ghats, considered one of the most important biodiversity hotspots in the world.

“It was in the evening. First, I saw a pair of Tickell’s blue flycatcher. Once the flycatchers took off, this colourful bird showed up right in front of me. I was unsure of photographing it as my camera was in the backseat. Luckily, the bird stayed on, bobbing its head and looking for a prey, perhaps a crab, lizard or a small fish.”