Greater Flamingos Spotted at Veeranam Lake in Tamil Nadu, Researchers Point to Changing Rainfall

Greater Flamingo Latest News

Greater flamingos, usually found in coastal wetlands, have been recently spotted at Veeranam Lake in Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu, in a rare occurrence that researchers say could be linked to altered rainfall patterns.

About Greater Flamingo

• It is the most widespread and largest species of the flamingo family.  
• Scientific Name: Phoenicopterus roseus 

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Greater Flamingo Habitat and Distribution

• The Greater flamingo inhabits Africa, the Middle East, southern Europe, and the Indian subcontinent. 
• They occur in relatively shallow water bodies, such as saline lagoons, salt pans, large alkaline or saline lakes, and estuaries. 
• Breeding takes place on sandbanks, mudflats, sandy or rocky islands, or open beaches. 

Greater Flamingo Features

• It is a large bird with an elegant body, a long and slender neck, and extremely long legs. 
• Its plumage is predominantly pale pink, with more intense shades on the wings and black wingtips. 
• The beak is thick, downward-curved, and pink with a black tip. 
• The legs are long, thin, and bright pink, perfectly adapted for moving through shallow waters. 
• Juveniles have a gray-brown coloration, with some pink on their underparts, tail and wings, with the legs and beak being mainly brown. 
• They are a highly social species, nesting in large, dense colonies. 
• They feed by filtering water with their specialized beaks, consuming crustaceans, algae, and small invertebrates.
• Greater Flamingo Conservations Status:
  • It is classified as ‘Least Concern‘ under the IUCN Red List. 

Key Facts about Veeranam Lake

• Veeranam Lake (Veeranarayanan Lake) is a man-made lake located in the Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu. 
• It is among the oldest and largest man-made lakes in Tamil Nadu.  
• The lake is about 16 km long and 8 km broad with a waterspread of about 15 sq. km.  
• Built during the 10th century CE by Rajaditya Chola, the son of Parantaka Chola I, the lake stands as a remarkable example of the Chola Empire’s engineering excellence and irrigation planning. 
• It was constructed to strengthen irrigation and support the northern territories of the Chola kingdom. 
• The lake is fed by Vadavar river and Sengal stream. 
• It continues to serve as a lifeline for agriculture in the region and is also an important source of drinking water for Chennai through the New Veeranam Water Supply Scheme. 
• Veeranam Lake is closely associated with Kalki Krishnamurthy’s celebrated historical novel Ponniyin Selvan. 

News: TH