Verditer flycatcher spotted for first time at Nanjarayan tank bird sanctuary in Tiruppur

The migratory bush bird from the Himalayas was spotted by bird enthusiasts; the Nanjarayan tank has seen 186 bird species visit it so far this year, birders said

In a rare sighting at the lowland areas, the Verditer flycatcher ( Eumyias thalassinus), a migratory bush bird, was spotted by the bird enthusiasts from the Nature Society of Tiruppur at the Nanjarayan tank bird sanctuary, on Sunday.

During their routine bird watching, enthusiasts S. Murugavel and Geetha Mani spotted the bush bird on Sunday, at noon.

K. Ravindran, president of the Nature Society of Tiruppur, said “The Verditer flycatchers breed at the upper hills of the Himalayas and travel to the peninsular region, particularly to the Western Ghats, during the winter. Because of the presence of insects, worms, and caterpillars in the Nanjarayan tank area, the lone passerine migrant bird would have landed to forage on its way to some other place.”

The 125-hectare Nanjarayan tank, also known as Sarkar Periyapalayam reservoir, was recently declared the 17th bird sanctuary of the State.

M. Suresh Krishnan, Forest Range Officer, Tiruppur Forest Division told The Hindu that many other bush birds, including the Indian paradise flycatcher were already spotted at the tank, but the Verditer flycatcher was spotted for the first time. The uniqueness of the Nanjarayan tank is its diversity, said the officer, adding that though the numbers of birds that visit the tank are not high, the diversity of species has gone up substantially, over the past years.

Bird enthusiasts recorded 181 bird species at the tank, till last year. So far, with the arrival of the Broad-billed sandpiper, Eurasian curlew, Eurasian hobby, Curlew sandpiper, and Verditer flycatcher for the first time this year, the number of recorded bird species has gone up to 186.

Mr. Krishnan also said, “Because of the rich diversity of the ecosystem and the arrival of new species of birds, the awareness about bird watching has increased in Tiruppur. This would help students to educate themselves about various species of birds.”