Vettangudi’s migratory birds arrive early and await rains

Migratory birds perched on treetops at Vettangudi Bird Sanctuary in Sivaganga district. | Photo Credit: L. Balachandar The wetland in Vettangudi Bird Sanctuary in Sivaganga district remains dry. | Photo Credit: L. Balachandar At Vettangudi Bird Sanctuary in Sivaganga district, thousands of migratory and foreign birds arriving for their annual breeding season are instead met with a harsh, parched landscape and bone-dry lakebed.Kollukudipatti tank and its surrounding bushes are a vital ecological hotspot, especially for birds. Home to around 217 resident and migratory bird species such as cattle egret, little grebe, garganey, grey heron, darter, openbill stork, Eurasian spoonbill, and painted stork, the area serves as a vibrant seasonal sanctuary.These birds raise their chicks before migrating back to their native habitats around February - March. Showing remarkable community spirit, the local residents abstain from bursting firecrackers during festivals like Deepavali to protect the nesting birds from loud noises and stress.As a gesture of appreciation for this harmonious coexistence, the Forest Department distributes sweets to the villagers every Deepavali.While the official migratory season kicks off in the last week of October, recent shifts in weather patterns have brought water to the tank as early as the southwest monsoon season, drawing birds as early as July.Accustomed to that cycle, the birds have already begun arriving this year. However, the failure of the southwest monsoon to bring adequate rainfall has left the wetland dry and the new arrivals facing an uncertain season.Consequently, the birds linger with the anticipation of rains filling the dry tank.Sharing their concerns, the residents of Kollukudipatti said, “Since the southwest monsoon failed this year, no water has reached the tank. However, with the season under way, birds are turning up in large numbers. We are pinning our hope on the northeast monsoon to deliver the rainfall we desperately need.”They added that if the drought-like situation persisted, the migratory visitors would be forced to abandon the area for greener pastures. “If rains fail us, it will not just be the farmers who suffer, the birds will bear the brunt of it too,” they said. Published - August 25, 2026 08:59 pm IST