Demoiselle Crane sighted in Chennai for first time

A lone Demoiselle Crane has been photographed at the Nemmeli salt pans in Chennai, the first documented sighting of the bird in the city. Naman Bora, a VIT student, and Amoghh Chatty, a Class X pupil, both members of the Madras Naturalists Society, spotted the bird on the evening of February 28, 2026, while it was feeding among reeds. eBird senior reviewer Gnanaskandan Kesavabharathi confirmed the sighting and identified the bird as a sub-adult based on plumage and eye colour.

The Demoiselle Crane, named for its dance-like movements, winters in northern India after migrating from Eurosiberia. Sightings in southern India are rare and considered vagrancy. Ornithologist V. Shantaram noted that Khichan village in Rajasthan hosts flocks of 4,000-5,000 birds, but some individuals may wander south due to drought or adventure. Only two previous records exist for Tamil Nadu, both from Tirunelveli district in 2006 and 2007. The bird remained at the same feeding spot for several days after the sighting.