Mon Dec 23 13:24:40 UTC 2024: **Rare Dollarbird Sighting Thrills Chennai Birders**
**Chennai, December 23, 2024** – A rare Oriental dollarbird (Eurystomus orientalis), an extremely uncommon visitor to Chennai, was spotted at Chembarambakkam lake on December 15th, exciting the city’s birding community. The sighting, lasting approximately three hours, was made by Dr. S. Sathyakumar, S. Sivakumar, and Saravanan Manian. Initially mistaken for a parakeet, the bird’s true identity was confirmed only after being photographed.
The last recorded sighting of a dollarbird in Chennai was in 2016 at Guindy National Park. The bird’s appearance is attributed to its unusual deviation from its typical migratory route between its breeding grounds (Australia or Japan) and its wintering grounds (Sri Lanka and Kerala). Unlike other passage migrants, such as the chestnut-winged cuckoo, the dollarbird is not a regular visitor to Chennai. The Chembarambakkam lake’s wooded habitat, abundant with water, likely attracted the bird. While other winter birds were absent that day, the dollarbird sighting proved a memorable experience for the birders involved. The photograph capturing the event was taken by Saravanan Manian.
First Piper 