There was good news for bird-watchers in Andhra Pradesh and India, as for the first time, three rare migratory bird species were spotted in Coringa mangrove forest located in the district of East Godavari.

Sharing the details with the New India Express, the Divisional Forest Officer (Wildlife) P Selvam and biologist D Mahesh Babu said: "A team of scientists and birdwatchers spotted the rare migratory bird species broad-billed sandpiper, crab-plover and greater flamingo in the Coringa forest for the first time. The broad-billed sandpiper species generally migrates from Siberia, Russia and Mongolia, while the crab-plover and the greater flamingo come from Oman and other Arab countries."

These birds were found in the forest when the Bombay Natural History Society and Wetlands International conducted the Asian Waterbird Census 2022 during which 46,546 birds belonging to 108 species were enumerated.

Another heartening news is that the avian population in the region and adjoining areas has increased by 12,000 as compared to census done last year when 34,207 migratory birds belonging to 104 species were enumerated. Within a span of five years Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary bird population has crossed the 40,000-mark.

After the Sunderbans in West Bengal, Coringa is the second largest mangrove forest in India and attracts migratory bird species in large numbers. These include flamingo, seagull, grey heron, pond heron, little egret, sandpiper, blue kingfisher, pied kingfisher, reef heron, crow pheasant among others.

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