Eurasian coots flock in large numbers at Achankulam near Coimbatore
Birdwatchers in Coimbatore have observed an unusually large, early-season gathering of Eurasian coots at the Achankulam wetland. Experts suggest this mass migration may be linked to changing climate patterns in the Palearctic region.
Why it matters
Large-scale shifts in migratory bird behavior serve as important indicators for local ecosystem health and global climate change impacts.
Eurasian coots ( Fulica atra ), a common wetland bird, were seen in unusually large numbers at Achankulam, near Coimbatore city, on Sunday (October 4, 2026).
More than 20 birders from the Coimbatore Nature Society (CNS), who went to the wetland for a routine birding on Sunday morning, witnessed the mass gathering, which as per their estimate could be between 1,000 and 2,000 birds.
The birding started at 7 a.m., with spotting of winter visitors and a healthy population of Indian Spot-billed ducks. As the team scanned the north-eastern and northern expanses of the vast tank, birders were stunned to find that nearly half of the entire wetland was blanketed by a dense floating flock of coots, a species that is typically spotted here only in single digits or small groups of a few dozen.
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