A nesting attempt by Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus in an inland wetland in Kachchh District, Gujarat, India

Authors

  • Gaurav Sirola Department of Endangered Species Management, Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248001, India. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4712-4409
  • Harindra Baraiya Department of Endangered Species Management, Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248001, India. https://orcid.org/0009-0000-8259-2334
  • Rajdeep Mitra Department of Endangered Species Management, Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248001, India.
  • Anju Baroth Department of Endangered Species Management, Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248001, India. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2402-5774
  • R Suresh Kumar Department of Endangered Species Management, Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248001, India.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.10544.18.5.28976-28981

Keywords:

Breeding sites, foraging, freshwater irrigation tank, nest-site selection, Phoenicopteriformes, Phoenicopteridae, wetland survey

Abstract

India is home to the two flamingo species – Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus and Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor. Saline mudflats (Rann) of the Kachchh landscape in western India support the largest breeding sites of flamingos in Asia. In 2019, we conducted a wetland survey across Kachchh between January and December 2019 and recorded nesting of Greater Flamingos in Ratnal, a freshwater irrigation tank. Around 400 Greater and 700 Lesser Flamingos were observed foraging at this site on 25 July 2019. We recorded a total of 35 mud mounds, the morphometrics of 10 intact mounds were taken, and the mean height was 26.4 (± 2.38) cm, and the circumference was 28.4 (±1.36) cm. These measurements closely matched the published dimensions of Greater Flamingo nests, indicating the species likely constructed them. The courtship displays of both species were observed during the study period; however, no eggs were laid. Further, the nests were abandoned following heavy rainfall in August 2019. We monitored the wetland for the next three years, 2020–2023, but no further nesting attempt was recorded. This observation likely represents a false nesting attempt by Greater Flamingo and highlights potential flexibility in nest-site selection, underscoring the importance of systematic monitoring of freshwater wetlands, and they may serve as both breeding and non-breeding habitats.

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Published

26-05-2026

Issue

Vol. 18 No. 5 (2026)

Section

Short Communications

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Copyright (c) 2026 Gaurav Sirola, Harindra Baraiya, Rajdeep Mitra, Anju Baroth, R Suresh Kumar

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