First in India, Tamil Nadu’s Great Vedaranyam Swamp turns breeding ground for burrow nesting shorebird Crab plover
The HinduCrab-plover, the only shore bird that lays eggs in self-excavated burrows on sandbanks, might soon be called a resident species of the Indian subcontinent as their unique breeding sites have been recorded at Great Vedaranyam Swamp near Point Calimere, Tamil Nadu. The presence of five burrow nests of the crab-loving shore bird recorded at an islet near Siruthalaikkadu of Great Vedaranyam Swamp in August gained significance as the species was initially believed to only breed in the islands of the African east coast, the Persian Gulf, and the southern coasts of the Arabian Peninsula from June to August. “The same male bird was spotted with a juvenile on August 30, 2022 at Talai Mannar in Sri Lanka, giving us a hint about crab-plovers potentially breeding in the Palk Bay region of Point Calimere. According to Mr. Byju, Great Vedaranyam Swamp is abundant with mudskippers and crabs, the favourite prey species of crab-plovers.
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