The last flamingos of Bombay

The Flamingo Festival that will be held in the city on March 5 could well be the last one in a long time, as many fear that the impending construction of the Trans Harbour Link might scare away these migratory birds from the wetlands of Sewri.

Have you ever wondered why flamingos are pink in colour or did you know that like mammals they produce milk too These and many more fun facts will be revealed at the Flamingo Festival in the city that has been organised by the Bombay Natural History Society in association with Mumbai Port Trust. The one-day festival will be held at the Sewri wetlands, which has been the site for flamingo spotting in the city for many years now. The festival too is a decade old and this year it has a special significance as the birders fear that the construction of the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (connecting Sewri with Navi Mumbai) that’s supposed to commence by the end of this year, might hamper the migration of these birds to the Sewri wetlands.

Arun Sathe, manager of communications, BNHS, tells us that it was around a decade ago that the flamingos began to fly in to Mumbai, which is why the organisers thought of creating an event around it. “We started the festival about ten years ago, but in between, we have had a few years’ gap. But over the years we have only seen the footfalls and popularity increasing,” Sathe says. He adds that their short-term researches have revealed that about 150 species of birds come to the city at different seasons throughout the year.

This festival is set on a jetty along the mud banks of Sewri. “This is a very important birding area and through the festival we are also hoping to build an awareness about the mudflats and creeks. Only when people observe these things first hand, will they grow more aware and concerned about them,” says Sathe. Raising environmental awareness is one of the primary motives behind the BNHS Flamingo festival. “This is one of the rare occasions that a certain species of birds have found a natural habitat in a city. We believe that city people need to be made more aware about environmental concerns, as compared to people in rural areas whose lives are generally more eco-friendly,” he points out.

Underlining some not-so-well-known facts about flamingos, Asif Khan, associate programme officer, BNHS says, “There are two kinds of flamingos — lesser flamingo and greater flamingo. And as the name suggests the lesser flamingos fall under the ‘near threatened’ category under IUCN (the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) gradation.” He continues, “It was in the mid-90s that the lesser flamingos were reported in Mumbai, and it is one of the largest congregation of lesser flamingos in a city with about 20,000 to 30,000 birds migrating from year to year.” And that’s reason enough to celebrate, he feels. According to Asif, the birds come from Kutch during the winter and stay in the city till the rain sets in. “Winter in the Kutch region is very harsh and therefore they fly here — it’s their wintering ground,” he explains.

The festival will be equipped with binoculars and spotting scopes and under the guidance of BNHS experts. Apart from flamingos, enthusiasts can also see a dozen other species of birds including herons, egrets, ibises, gulls, terns, sandpipers and kingfishers. Add to this, there will be quizzes, exhibitions and other activities to help attendees learn more about the wetland ecosystem.

Robin Louis, a 35-year-old Tai Chi instructor and birder grew up in a family of bird enthusiasts. “As a kid my dad used to take us to the national parks and reserves,” he says. Robin has been attending the Flamingo Festival for the past two years and with this year he plans to score a hat-trick. Robin takes the festival very seriously and makes sure that he spends a few hours every year at the festival, no matter where he is and how caught up he is. “For me this day is very exciting because apart from birds I also get to meet a lot of birders from across the city.” As an advice to the newcomers, Robin says, “There are two things that one needs to keep in mind. Firstly, one needs to have the sheer love to observe. For birders, patience is key. And secondly, one shouldn’t come with any expectations. I have seen many people do that repeatedly. One should let nature unfold itself in its own time.”

Recalling one such surprise, Robin says, “Last year, I had chanced upon a black-capped kingfisher, which is not an easy bird to spot, unless you frequent the place.” He’s among the many who are worried that this could be the last time to see the flamingos in a very long time. Referring to the Trans Harbour link construction, he says, “Who knows, this could be the last time that we will be able to see them in that area. The problem is, we take a lot of things in life for granted.”

Flamingo fun facts Flamingos tend to congregate in mudflats or lagoons, where they can find shallow saltwater prey. These habitats are also difficult for predators to negotiate.

Their beaks are designed to strain animals out of the mud and the muddy water is expelled. This is because their heads are upside down.

Adult flamingos are four to five feet tall, but only weigh between four to eight pounds. That’s the kind of astonishing body density (or lack of) that’s needed for flight.

The colour pink comes from the crustaceans and planktons flamingos eat.

Points to remember Time: March 5, 12:30 pm till sunset

Venue: Sewri Jetty, Mumbai

The festival is open to everyone and entry is free

Free bus services have been arranged from Sewri Railway Station (East) for the visitors from 12 pm till 5.00 pm

For details, contact: 022-22821811