P
Sudhakaran, TNN Apr 3, 2013, 03.02AM IST
KANNUR: The season of the migratory birds is almost over
in Kerala. But the bird enthusiasts of Kannur are bidding adieu to
the season with great cheers because they spotted a rare bird from Mongolia
"Though the hillocks and marshlands in Kannur are a
hot spot for migratory birds, it was for the first time in the last eight
decades that we spotted the rare bird, Chinese Snipe (Swinhoe's Snipe) here in
the marshlands near Pazhayangadi," said noted bird watcher and academician
Khaleel Chovva, who spotted the bird along with P C Rajeevan, Jayan Thomas on
March 24
 |
He said this bird is a rare winter visitor.
Though the records says British soldier in Kannur,
Phythian Adams, had shot 15 Chinese Snipes between 1925 and 1935, there are no
recent records about the spotting of the rare bird in Kerala, he said.
The Chinese Snipe (scientific name Gallinago megala ) is a medium-sized, skulking wading bird with
long straight bill and a cryptic plumage. This cryptic plumage of the bird
enables the snipe to remain undetected by birdwatchers and hunters in
marshland.
"The bird has a erratic flight pattern. It is the
difficulties in hunting a snipe that gave it the term 'sniper' referring to a
skilled anti-personnel military sharpshooter," said Chovva.
He said the bird was spotted among a group of painted
snipes. The snipe feeds on insect larvae, earthworms, spiders, beetles and
small crustaceans. Interestingly, it feeds with its bill closed, say experts.
Without removing its super sensitive bill from almost face-deep mud, the tip of
the upper mandible flexes like a pitcher to grab and haul in the grub. The
Chinese Snipe breeds in Mongolia
and East Asia and in winter comes to India ,
Sri Lanka and Maldives
Bird enthusiasts have also sighted some other migratory
birds in the wetlands of Kannur during the recent years. This season they had
also spotted a black stork in Munderikkadavu.
"These findings throw light on the importance of
wetlands as habitat for rare and migratory birds. So these wetlands are
precious and are to be preserved without any modification," said Chovva.
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