Gujarat’s famous flamingos may not be the long-distance migratory birds they were once thought to be. A new four-year GPS tracking study has found that both greater and lesser flamingos spend most of their lives within the Kutch region, moving between nearby wetlands instead of migrating over vast distances.
The research, carried out by scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), offers the first detailed picture of how these birds use the Kutch landscape throughout the year. The findings are expected to play an important role in future conservation efforts, showing that protecting only breeding sites is not enough to ensure the survival of flamingos.
Four-Year GPS Study Tracked Flamingo Movements
The study was conducted between May 2019 and December 2023 by researchers Harindra Baraiya, Gaurav Sirola, Anju Baroth and R. Suresh Kumar from WII’s Department of Endangered Species Management.
Researchers fitted GPS-GSM transmitters on eight adult flamingos—four greater flamingos and four lesser flamingos—to monitor their daily movements.
Published in the journal Avian Research, the study generated more than 6.7 lakh location records, making it one of the most detailed studies of flamingo movement in Asia.
Kutch Remains Their Main Home
The tracking data showed that all the tagged birds spent most of their time within the Kutch region.
During the breeding season, the flamingos mainly stayed in the seasonally flooded Rann of Kutch. Once breeding ended, they shifted to inland, coastal and saline wetlands depending on rainfall, water levels and the availability of food.
The study found that the birds were not undertaking regular long-distance migrations as previously believed. Instead, they moved between different wetlands within the region throughout the year.
Different Habits of Greater and Lesser Flamingos
Researchers found that the two flamingo species use different habitats.
“Flamingo City” in the Greater Rann of Kutch, known as Asia’s largest flamingo breeding site, remained an important nesting area, especially for greater flamingos.
Lesser flamingos, on the other hand, were found using wetlands around Kuda and Bela in the Greater Rann. They also nested in the saltpans of the Little Rann of Kutch.
The study also revealed that both species showed strong loyalty to their habitats, repeatedly returning to the same wetlands after every breeding season.
Birds Travel More During Breeding Season
Although flamingos remain largely within Kutch, they travel longer distances during the breeding season.
Greater flamingos covered an average of 23.4 kilometres per day while breeding, compared with 12.4 kilometres per day during the non-breeding season.
Lesser flamingos travelled even farther, averaging 27.6 kilometres a day during breeding and 16.6 kilometres a day during the rest of the year.
Researchers believe these movements help the birds locate suitable nesting areas and food.
Rainfall Plays a Major Role
The study identified rainfall as one of the biggest factors influencing flamingo movement.
As monsoon rains increase, wetlands expand, water depth changes and food becomes more easily available. The birds quickly respond to these environmental changes by shifting between wetlands.
Researchers said the seasonal changes in the Rann ecosystem strongly influence where flamingos feed, breed and rest throughout the year.
Habitat Preferences Differ Between Species
The study also found clear differences in habitat preferences. Lesser flamingos relied heavily on saline ecosystems, spending more than half of their non-breeding period in saltpans and nearly one-third of their time in mudflats.
Greater flamingos preferred freshwater and brackish-water wetlands, although individual birds showed some variation in habitat choice.
These findings suggest that conserving a variety of wetland types is important for protecting both species.
Some Birds Still Make Remarkable Long Journeys
While most flamingos remained within Kutch, researchers documented a few rare long-distance trips.
One greater flamingo named Hanj spent nearly three months at Pakistan’s Miani Hor Ramsar wetland before briefly entering Afghanistan. The bird covered approximately 2,130 kilometres in just 42 hours, making only two stopovers before returning to Kutch.
Another greater flamingo, Paddhar, also briefly visited Miani Hor before returning home. A lesser flamingo named Rohar travelled around 540 kilometres to Ajmer. These journeys, however, were found to be exceptions rather than the normal behaviour of the birds.
Conservation Must Go Beyond Protected Areas
The researchers said the findings highlight the need for broader conservation planning.
Although Flamingo City, Bela and parts of the Little Rann are protected, flamingos also depend heavily on wetlands outside protected areas. These include saltpans, mudflats and other human-modified landscapes that are equally important for their survival.
The study warns that wetland reclamation, industrial discharge, agricultural runoff, changes in freshwater flow, defence infrastructure and renewable energy projects could damage the interconnected wetland network that flamingos depend upon.
According to the researchers, protecting only nesting colonies will not be enough if surrounding wetlands continue to disappear or degrade.
Call for Landscape-Level Protection
The researchers have recommended a landscape-level conservation approach covering interconnected wetlands across the Kutch region.
They also suggested expanding satellite tracking programmes to better understand whether India’s flamingo population consists of resident, migratory or nomadic groups.
The study concludes that preserving the full network of wetlands—both protected and unprotected—will be essential to ensure flamingos continue to thrive in Gujarat despite increasing environmental pressures and changing climate conditions.
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