Bird Walk at Avadi Paruthipattu Lake Green Park, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
- Chennai
- 4 October, 2026
- Pradeeshwar R J
About Avadi Paruthipattu Lake Green Park
In Avadi, on Chennai’s western edge, Paruthipattu Lake shows what a neglected city lake can become. Encroachment and construction had once shrunk it to just 8 acres. In 2018 the Water Resources Department began a major restoration that brought it back to about 54 acres and an average depth of 12 feet, and the lake eco-park opened in 2019. Surplus water from the Cooum River and treated water from a nearby sewage plant keep it topped up, which also recharges groundwater for the surrounding neighbourhoods. Today a 3-km walking path circles the lake, with native plantings, reedy margins, open water, and islands built specially for birds to rest and nest. Fish, frogs, turtles and dragonflies have returned with the water.
For birders, the green park is an easy place to see how quickly birds respond to a healthy wetland. Ducks, grebes, coots and cormorants use the open water. Openbill storks, herons and waterhens work the shallow edges, and three species of kingfisher hunt from the banks. The planted areas and scrub are filling with prinias, tailorbirds, bee-eaters and francolins. The lake’s future still needs care, though. Its water quality depends on how well the sewage plant keeps working. Encroachment pressure, plastic waste and heavy visitor traffic are constant challenges, and over-landscaping can strip away the reeds and wild edges that birds rely on. Keeping the islands undisturbed, protecting natural vegetation and keeping the water clean will help Paruthipattu stay a thriving refuge for birds.
Bird Guide: Pradeeshwar R J
He is a wildlife ecologist specializing in the field of ornithology, community ecology, fire ecology and bioacoustics. Being a researcher, he is trying to understand the patterns and processes of the system.
Bird walk Location
Common birds of Avadi Paruthipattu Lake Green Park
The star of Paruthipattu is the Fulvous Whistling-Duck, a rich cinnamon-coloured duck that is uncommon in Chennai. It whistles softly as flocks fly in over the water. Asian Openbills wade through the shallows, using the gap in their bills to crack open snail shells. The lake is also a great place to see kingfishers, with three species here. The black-and-white Pied Kingfisher hovers in the air before diving straight down. The tiny Common Kingfisher streaks turquoise along the bank, and the White-throated Kingfisher calls loudly from its perch. Indian Spot-billed Ducks, Little Grebes and Eurasian Coots dot the open water, while Little Cormorants dive for fish and then sit drying their wings on the islands. Indian Pond-Herons and White-breasted Waterhens move along the reedy margins, and Red-wattled Lapwings keep a noisy watch on the shore. Around the park, Asian Green Bee-eaters swoop after insects, and a Shikra hunts from the trees. Black Drongos, Ashy Prinias and Common Tailorbirds liven up the bushes, while Gray Francolins and the Asian Koel fill the air with calls.
Fulvous Whistling-Duck
Asian Openbill
Pied Kingfisher
Common Kingfisher
White-throated Kingfisher
Indian Spot-billed Duck
Little Grebe
Eurasian Coot
Little Cormorant
Indian Pond-Heron
White-breasted Waterhen
Red-wattled Lapwing
Asian Green Bee-eater
Shikra
Black Drongo
Ashy Prinia
Common Tailorbird
Grey Francolin
Asian Koel
House Crow
Summary of Walk
Fourteen participants joined guide Pradeeshwar R J at Avadi Paruthipattu Lake Green Park in Chennai on 4 October for a bright and curious morning beside the water. The walk began with a smart White-browed Wagtail strutting along the path, and soon after, a colourful Common Kingfisher appeared, perched over the lake like a jewel, which set an excited mood for the rest of the walk. The group went on to record 24 species, and the highlights were well worth the wait. The Blue-tailed Bee-eater, a slender green migrant with a bright blue tail, swept through the air in swift acrobatic loops, catching insects on the wing, and the Pied Kingfisher hovered above the water before diving in a flash of black and white. In the middle of the walk, a bright yellowish bird caught everyone’s attention as it settled on the canopy of a dry tree: the Indian Golden Oriole, glowing like a lantern against the branches, and drawing out cameras and binoculars all around. Participants asked many thoughtful questions about bird behaviour, habitat, morphology, flight patterns and ecology, and Pradeeshwar answered each one with patience, using the birds in front of them to bring each concept to life. The park’s mix of water, trees and open paths gave the group plenty of variety to explore, and the friendly mood made it easy for first-time birders to join in. The walk was a lovely example of how curiosity grows with each sighting, and participants returned home with new knowledge, a better understanding of how birds live and an eagerness to see even more on their next outing.
Number of Participants
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