Puthalam salt pans witness influx of migratory birds and first-time sightings

Migratory birds have begun arriving at the salt pans in Puthalam near Manakudy, marking the onset of the migratory season, with some new avian species recorded at the site for the first time.

The white brackish-water slat pans in Puthalam have always served as a preferred transit point and winter feeding and roosting ground for migratory birds. However, this season, which is progressing with a good number of arrivals, has witnessed some interesting sightings at the site.

S. Balachandar, former deputy director, Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and managing trustee, Migratory Bird Monitoring Trust (MBMT), highlighted that the number of birds arriving at the site has been comparatively higher than the previous year.

Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea) spotted at the salt pans in Puthalam
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

“While demonstrating bird ringing to officials from the Forest Department, the MBMT team identified a Common Tern (Sterna hirundo), which had been ringed from Poland, 13 years ago, during its nesting,” he said.

Mentioning that even around 15 years ago, he had found a Common Tern ringed from Russia, Mr. Balachandar highlighted that the salt pans in Puthalam are located in a strategic location in peninsular India, where birds choose the spot for brief periods of rest.

A Curlew Sandpiper ringed by him in November 2023 was sighted at The Gann, Pembrokeshire, Wales, on June 19, 2024, he said. He further noted that Sea Terns, which fortuitously arrive during sardines and anchovies’ season, stay for a week in the bunds of salt pan, where they replenish and rejuvenate before taking the longer flight to distant countries.

Anand Shibu, an independent bird researcher, noted that he had made the first ever sighting of Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea) at salt pans in Puthalam on September 13, 2025. He added that the bird is known for the longest migration, nearly 70,000 km between Arctic and Antarctic.

The very next day, he had visited the site along with fellow birder Bagavathi Balasubramanian, where the duo spotted White-cheeked Tern (Sterna repressa), another first sighting at the same site. “In August, the Red Knot and Red-necked Stint recorded in the same area, marking their first record in Kanniyakumari district,” he added.

Emphasising that the salt pans in Puthalam are not only a stopover site, but also an important winter feeding and roosting ground for waders arriving from distant lands, Mr. Shibu urged that the critical site should be conserved, which is threatened by unchecked garbage disposal and other factors affecting its ecology.