Rare migratory bird recorded along TN coast

Chennai: A rare long-distance migratory bird, the red-backed shrike (lanius collurio), slightly slimmer than a house sparrow, was recorded along the Tamil Nadu coast, with confirmed sightings in Tuticorin and additional observations from Chennai in recent months. While the bird is more commonly sighted in northwestern parts of India, closer to its migratory route, records from southern India are limited, making it a ‘vagrant' in peninsular India.Researchers from the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), the South India Centre of the Wildlife Institute of India, Coimbatore, spotted the bird during a survey of wetland and terrestrial habitats in Tuticorin district. It was found perched on a twig near the Periyasamy Puram salt pans on Nov 2, 2025. Terrestrial habitats such as shrubs and mixed woodlands often support passerine (perching bird) migrants such as shrikes. The team photographed the bird for identification."It exhibited some distinctive plumage patterns compared to other shrike species common to this site. Upon careful examination of the photographs and field notes, we confirmed the shrike's identity," said Sanathanakrishnan Babu, corresponding author of the study. More sightings and observations were recorded in Adyar on Nov 6 and in Dec 2025, suggesting a broader, though sparse, presence along the east coast.The bird has distinctive features, including a grey crown, bold black mask, bright chestnut back, and grey rump, along with a characteristic tail pattern. Shrikes are medium-sized passerines known for their predatory behaviour."Continuous monitoring of wetland and terrestrial habitats of the East Coast of Tamil Nadu areas may shed more light on several passage migrants and vagrants to India," said Kishore Muthu, first author of the study.