Introduction
Thane Creek is an inlet in the shoreline of the Arabian Sea that isolates the city of Mumbai from the Indian mainland. The Maharashtra Government has declared the area along the western bank of the Thane Creek as the “Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary”. A flamingo sanctuary in a bustling metropolis. The creek has been attracting flamingos in large numbers since 1994. By November every year, over 30,000 of these birds, along with their chicks, descend here and occupy the mudflats and the bordering mangroves. They stay here till May, after which most of them migrate to Bhuj in Gujarat for breeding, leaving a small resident population. A large number of waders are also spotted along with them.
Pied avocet, Northern Shoveler, Common Redshank, marsh sandpiper, common greenshank, Curlew Sandpiper, Caspian Tern, Little Terns, white-bellied sea eagle and Eurasian marsh harrier have been spotted. BirdLife International has declared the creek an important bird area.
Meeting Point
Note
- Group discount available above 8 members
- Maximum of 15 members can be accommodated on the boat
- Timings of the tour depends on the tide.
Things to carry
- Cap/hat
- Camera/binocular
- Water
Facts about Flamingo
The word ‘flamingo’ comes from the Spanish word ‘flamenco’ meaning fire, which refers to the bright pink or orange colour of the feathers.
There are six flamingo species, including the greater flamingo, Chilean flamingo, lesser flamingo, Caribbean flamingo, Andean flamingo and puna flamingo.
The bright colour of flamingo feathers is caused by the presence of carotenoid pigments found in the algae and crustaceans that make up the diet of a flamingo.
Flamingos are monogamous (they have just one partner) and they produce one egg each year.
Little grey baby flamingo chicks hatch atop a mud nest constructed by the adults and take up to three years to attain their full mature plumage. The flamingos become pink over time as their feathers are slowly dyed by the carotenoids in their diet.
Flamingos can live a long time around 20-30hrs – some individuals have been recorded at 70 years of age, giving them one of the longest lifespans in the bird world.
When they want to rest, flamingos stand on one leg.
The visible “knee” of the flamingo is actually ankle joint. True knee is close to the body and can’t be seen because of the feathers.
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