Tiruchirappalli, Aug 10: The Vettukudi Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu is attracting fewer migratory birds this year due to fall in water level in the 400 hectare tank there following failure of monsoon. The sanctuary, about 60 kms from here, used to attract thousands of migratory birds from across the world during the bird season beginning August, sanctuary officials said. However, low inflow into the tank due to failure of monsoon has made the sanctuary less attractive for the birds like storks, spoon bills, pelicans, ducks and black winged estilts and they were flying to Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, they said.
Krishnan, a local bird watcher, said the sprawling tank which used to be full during this season had only patches of water pools now.
He said that he had seen only about 200 hundred birds this year.

The Vadalur and Udayar Marathandapuram tanks and Coleroon and Cauvery rivers were also dry this year, he said.
Bureau Report