Rare sea eagles spotted near Pulicat lake

A recent study conducted by bird watchers of Chennai-based ‘The Nature Trust’ shows that the rare Raptors-White-Bellied Sea eagles, though in small number, are coming to take aquatic food.

According to bird watchers, the Annamalaicheri bird sanctuary attracts thousands of birds including migratory birds every year. Among them are white-bellied sea eagles. Earlier, they could be seen in  large numbers. They also cautioned that aquaculture effluents, waste from thermal power station and industries in Gummidipoondi areas posed serious threat to the lake water and rare birds have therefore stopped landing there. 

KVRK. Thirunaranan, founder, The Nature Trust, whose team made a study of the birds found five white-bellied sea eagles. “Usually, such birds approach lakes and sea which have aquatic species, particularly fish. They would hover over the area and swoop on fish and other aquatic diets. So, they would come to Annamalaicheri Pulicat lake,” he said. Sea eagles choose a habitat where breeding and feeding would be easily possible. 

“In that sense, these birds occupy Sriharikota forest range for breeding and they travel to the nearest Annamalaicheri Pulicat lake for feeding,” the bird watcher said, noting that they had also documented over 150 migratory birds like Pallas gull, ruddy turnstone, Eurasian curlew and lesser flamingo in the area. “The truth is that the Annamalaicheri Pulicat lake once was a haven for white-bellied sea eagles, as the lake was their choicest feeding place. However, it is being sensed that development activities like construction and wastes from industries are a hindrance to such species,” said another bird watcher. 

K Geethanjali, wildlife warden, Chennai, told DTNext that there was no considerable decline in the number of birds arriving in Annamalaichri bird sanctuary. “However, the forest department would look into whether there is a drop in the number of birds in the sanctuary and, if so, we will study to find out the causes,” she assured.