Bird Walk at Pallikarnai Marshland EcoPark, Chennai, TN

About Pallikaranai Marshland

Pallikaranai is one of the last big freshwater marshes left inside a major Indian metropolis, hemmed in on all sides by Chennai’s IT corridor along Old Mahabalipuram Road. It is a shadow of its former self — the marsh once spread across some 6,000 hectares but has been squeezed down to under 600 by decades of landfilling, road-building, and unplanned growth — yet what survives is still an internationally important wetland, formally recognised as a Ramsar site in 2022. Its mix of open water, reed beds, and seasonally flooded grassland supports more than 100 recorded fauna species and around 275 plant species, an extraordinary tally for a site now boxed in by apartment towers on almost every side.

For birders, Pallikaranai remains a genuine city-edge spectacle, drawing waterbirds, waders, and raptors that would otherwise have nowhere left to go in urban Chennai. The marsh’s fortunes have been a battleground for years, with waste dumping by the city corporation, construction debris, and pressure from nearby IT campuses steadily chipping away at what is left, even as eco-restoration work — including a public eco-park opened in 2021 — tries to hold the line. Its Ramsar status has raised its profile considerably, but conservationists are candid that the gap between protection on paper and protection on the ground remains wide.

Bird Guide: Francis Anish

He is an ornithologist and avid birdwatcher with over three years of research experience at the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), Coimbatore. His work includes research on the Critically Endangered White-bellied Heron, reflecting his strong interest in bird conservation and ecology. Beyond research, he regularly explores the field as a passionate birder, deepening his understanding of bird behavior and habitats. He has also volunteered as a bird expert for the Tamil Nadu Forest Department's raptor survey in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, contributing to important wildlife monitoring and conservation efforts.

Bird walk Location

Common birds of Pallikaranai Marshland

Pallikaranai’s open water and reed beds pack in a lively mix of waterbirds and city-edge regulars, visible even on a short walk along the marsh boundary. Indian Cormorants and a Spot-billed Pelican work the open water together, while a Black Drongo watches from a wire and Black-winged Stilts pick through the shallows on impossibly long legs. Egrets are well represented, with both the Little Egret and Medium Egret stalking the margins alongside an Oriental Darter drying its wings on a snag. Rose-ringed Parakeets screech overhead as Spot-billed Ducks glide across the water, and the marsh’s ibis population — Glossy Ibis and Black-headed Ibis both — probes the mud for food. A Black Kite circles above, a Little Grebe dives and resurfaces near the reeds, and Red-wattled Lapwings call sharply from the open ground. Closer to the marsh edge, an Asian Green Bee-eater hawks from a low perch, an Asian Koel calls from nearby trees, and a Common Tailorbird and Ashy Prinia work the scrub while a Gray Heron stands motionless at the water’s edge — a snapshot of just how much life this shrinking marsh still holds.

Summary of Walk

Twenty birders gathered with guide Francis Anish at the Pallikarnai Marshland Eco Park in Chennai on 10 October, setting off at 6 am just as the sun was rising over the marsh. The park was teeming with birdlife from the very first minute, and by the end of the morning the group had recorded 42 species. Resident favourites came thick and fast: Spot-billed Pelican, Painted Stork, Indian and Little Cormorants, Spot-billed Ducks, Black-winged Stilts, Glossy Ibis and Black-headed Ibis shared the wetland with Ashy Prinia, Rufous Treepie and Yellow-billed Babblers in the scrub around it. The migratory season was already making its presence felt, with Barn Swallows, Blue-tailed Bee-eaters and Western Yellow Wagtails adding their seasonal flair. The star attraction was a flock of Greater Painted-snipes, a wonderful and unusual sight, tucked under a bush to stay hidden from the Black Kites circling above, and participants watched in delight as the secretive birds shuffled among the stems. Whiskered Terns hovering and plunging over the pond in search of fish added a lively aerial show, and a Common Sandpiper and a Marsh Sandpiper brought more wader interest along the water’s edge. Francis guided the group with a calm, knowledgeable manner, helping everyone tell herons from egrets, cormorants from darters and terns from gulls by shape, behaviour and flight. The mix of open marsh, reeds and scrub in the heart of the city proved once again why Pallikarnai is such a treasured birding site. It was a lovely start to the weekend, full of wonder, learning and great views.

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Bird Walk at Pallikarnai Marshland EcoPark, Chennai, TN

About Pallikaranai Marshland

Bird Guide: Francis Anish

Bird walk Location

Common birds of Pallikaranai Marshland

Indian Cormorant

Spot-billed Pelican

Black Drongo

Black-winged Stilt

Little Egret

Oriental Darter

Rose-ringed Parakeet

Indian Spot-billed Duck

Glossy Ibis

Black-headed Ibis

Black Kite

Little Grebe

Red-wattled Lapwing

Asian Green Bee-eater

Asian Koel

Common Tailorbird

Gray Heron

Rock Pigeon

Common Hawk Cuckoo

Ashy Prinia

Summary of Walk

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