Mumbai: Gorai creek turns a feasting place for over 1000 flamingos

After delighting Mumbaikars with its presence in the Malad creek, the Greater flamingos have surprised bird watchers after a flock of 1000 flamingos was spotted at Gorai creek.

On Saturday Marine enthusiast Pradip Patade along with animal rescuer Ankit Vyas took a boat ride and saw the flamingos up close.

"We could see the Flamboyance (group) of Greater Flamingos standing on the Gorai jetty on the Borivali side as they were foraging for food. For documentation purposes we took images," said Patade who has been documenting marine life along the coast of Mumbai.

He said that the locals too seemed surprised as some of the locals claimed that they have never seen Flamingos in the Gorai creek before. "All we can guess is that some of their habitats must have been destroyed forcing them to travel here or simply they might have seen that there is better availability of food," he said adding that their protection is a concern.

The greater flamingos are taller, with black-tipped grey beak, whitish eyes and whiter in body colour and their neck is in a perfect S-shape. They have recently also been spotted at Malad and Lokhandwala mangroves too.

Birders state that flamingos can be sighted all along the Mumbai coast and especially in creeks where they ideally feed as they are usually on the move based on the food availability and water levels.