Andaman birder cop finds tagged migratory bird, identified by Mumbai expert

The Andaman and Nicobar archipelago comprises hundreds of tropical islands known for their rich biodiversity and ecological significance.

Mumbai: In a rare and scientifically significant sighting, a migratory shorebird tagged in South Australia after travelling nearly 7,500 km has been recorded on the remote Narcondam Island in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The Andaman and Nicobar archipelago, located about 1,200 km from the Indian mainland between the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea, comprises hundreds of tropical islands known for their rich biodiversity and ecological significance. Narcondam Island, one of the most isolated among them, remains largely inaccessible and sparsely inhabited.

The bird, identified as a Sanderling (Calidris alba), was photographed by G Thikanna, an Assistant Sub-Inspector in the Communications wing of the Andaman Police. An avid birder, Thikanna is associated with the Andaman Avians Club and actively works to promote awareness about avifauna in the islands.

Thikanna was posted on Narcondam Island—located about 140 nautical miles from Shri Vijaya Puram (Port Blair)—for a one-month tenure when he made the observation. Life on the island is challenging, with no mobile network and limited electricity supplied by a portable generator for a few hours daily.

During a routine shoreline inspection on the morning of June 16, 2025, Thikanna noticed a small shorebird moving along the tidal edge. What drew his attention were coloured tags on its legs. Recognising the importance of the sighting, he quickly retrieved his camera and documented the bird.

The images revealed three distinct markers: a red flag above the knee and a yellow tag below the knee on the right leg, and a metal ring on the left leg. The red flag bore the code “DYM”.

Although he initially shared the sighting informally with friends, it remained unreported due to work commitments.

The breakthrough came in March 2026 when Mumbai-based ornithologist Dr Raju Kasambe, former Assistant Director at the Bombay Natural History Society and founder of Mumbai Bird Katta, visited South Andaman on a birding trip.

Upon reviewing the photographs shared by Thikanna, Dr Kasambe confirmed the bird’s identity as a Sanderling—a long-distance migratory wader that breeds in the Arctic regions of Asia, Europe, and North America. Further analysis using the East Asian–Australasian Flyway (EAAF) colour-marking protocol indicated that the bird had been tagged in South Australia.

Subsequent communication with the EAAF team revealed that the bird was tagged on April 13, 2025, by researcher Maureen Christie at Danger Point, Brown Bay near Port Macdonnell in South Australia.

“This indicates that the bird reached Narcondam Island in just over two months during its northward migration towards its Arctic breeding grounds. The straight-line distance covered was approximately 7,472 km, and it had not yet reached its final destination,” Dr Kasambe said.

The sighting marks the first recorded resighting of a tagged bird on Narcondam Island, underscoring the island’s ecological importance despite its isolation.

Notably, Narcondam is also home to the endemic Narcondam Hornbill, a species found nowhere else in the world, further highlighting the island’s unique biodiversity.