Navi Mumbai: The unusual sighting of two European roller birds, colourful migratory birds, in Kharghar sector 1, has generated interest among the local birding community. More than a dozen birders and wildlife photographers visited the area in the hope of observing this rare passage of the migrant. The bird is still in the area around the suburban railway station and the creek.Naturalist Pradeep Choudhary first spotted the bird on Sept 18, 2026. The bird still resides there till Sept 30. There are two such birds but one cannot be clicked on camera. The bird has previously been reported at nearby birding locations – Uran, Panvel and Thane.Their spotting in Kharghar is reported for the first time. This bird is a rare migrant to India undertaking a remarkable long-distance migration. Birders from Mumbai are visiting the area after learning about the same.“Their migration happens during autumn, generally between August and November. During spring, they return to breeding grounds. The Indian subcontinent primarily serves as a migration route rather than a regular breeding or wintering ground. The spotting here highlights the importance of protecting Kharghar wetlands and surrounding habitats,” said Choudhary.He added, “Strange … As a lot of development activities are going on in Kharghar, including the airport, there is still good wildlife we are able to see. Hope the agencies are not damaging the environment considerably.”
