Flamingos' Magical Migration to India
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As the calendar draws later in the year, the days get shorter, the temperatures go lower, and the birds gradually fly away. Migration is a normal ritual for most birds, flamingos included. And right about now, their leases are up.
India experiences some of the most magnificent flamingo migration on the planet. Pink birds from as near as Pakistan and as far as the western edge of the Middle East seek refuge in India come winter time. The country is one of the hottest spots on earth for flamingos from October to March.
Flamingo Migration in India
The flamingo population in India balloons by six figures every winter. Mumbai alone welcomed approximately 130,000 summer-home ditching flamingos in 2022, an amount that has steadily increased for years.
The purpose for Mumbai’s flamingo boom is its pollution, which has accidentally created waters that explode with a blue-green algae the fabulous fowl loves to munch. Whether or not that will be good for the long-term health of those flamingos remains to be understood, but nevertheless, it attracts them. This is not what has drawn flamingos to the subcontinent for centuries, though.
There are a number of Indian nature sanctuaries, mudflats, and lakes that are teeming with flamingos through the winter. Greater and lesser flamingos flock to the country - or from within the country - for the warm, tropical climate that promotes the growth of its favorite foods.
Flamingos Living in India
A good deal of flamingos are permanent Indian residents. Flamingo City in Gujarat is an island that earned its name. It’s the largest breeding ground for lesser flamingos in the country, and it’s a symbol of a strong ecosystem for the species.
In 2019, the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) released data suggesting that more than 140,000 greater and lesser flamingos called India home. It found that more than 73% of those flamingos lived in Maharashtra, a state in the western peninsular region which includes cities like Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur. A large majority of the flamingos in Maharashtra were lesser.
The BNHS data also reported that lesser flamingos outnumber greater flamingos throughout the country by about 37,000 - India had 88,906 lesser to its 51,655 greater. Greater flamingos were most likely to be seen in Gujarat, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.
Where to See Flamingos in India
Gujarat is a great state to catch flamingos in. Located on the western coast of India, it has the longest coastline of any Indian state of almost 1,000 miles. Flamingos absolutely love it.
Other than Flamingo City, the fabulous fowl is also known to socialize at Gujarat’s Thol Lake, the Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary, and the Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary. The many lagoons, islets, and marshes of these areas are ripe feeding grounds for flamingos, as well as many other waterfowl.
Mumbai and Navi Mumbai are more great places to see flamingos in India. In these places, you may not have to go too far outside of the city to catch a glimpse. Flamingos love the Sewri Mudlats on the eastern coast of the metropolis, making them visible with the city landscape in the background. The birds can also be seen in Bhigwan, a small town inland in Maharashtra that is situated next to the Bhigwan Wildlife Sanctuary, a hub for flamingo activity.
Another major gathering spot for the fabulous fowl in India is Chilika Lake in Odisha on the opposite side of the country, nestled up against India’s eastern coast. Throughout 2021, the lake inhabited more than 1.2 million birds from 190 different species, with most of those arriving during the migratory season only. Flamingos made up a major part of the population, and the lake serves as another key breeding ground for lesser and greater flamingos.
