The bird generally migrates via marine routes and adult females depart from the breeding grounds in early June, followed by adult males and juveniles in late July and August. Although, currently the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the species as the least concerned, it also says that the overall population is decreasing. Avian sex roles are reversed in the three phalarope species as females are larger and brightly coloured than males; they pursue males, compete for nesting territory and aggressively defend their nests and preferred mates. Once the females lay their eggs which are olive-brown in colour, they begin their migration to the south, leaving the males to incubate the eggs and care for the young.
“The first sighting of these birds in India was in 1856 or 1860, after that there are very few records. The bird spotted at Bhigwan last week is already on the verge of migrating and it seems to have been resting here between its migratory routes,“ informed Siddhesh Bramhankar, another birder from the city. People in Pune frequent Bhigwan, especially when such rare birds come to visit, but this time people from other parts of the country also dropped by to see the bird.
“It is generally found in US and Europe and is pretty rare in South Asia and South-East Asia. The first time that it was spotted in India was in Kolkata when a specimen was collected. It was subsequently seen in Rajasthan, Hyderabad, Satpura, Nagpur and now in Pune,“ informed Shashank Dalvi, an ornithologist from Mumbai. “This is a bird, which is found in the sea. So, I think it has drifted away from its migratory route and filling itself up to be fit and fly back to its location,“ observed Sameer Joshi, a birdwatcher from Pune.
Source : Mirror
