Shorebird from Australia spotted over 7,400 km away on island in Andamans: Expert

“A tagged shorebird that flew more than 7,400 km from South Australia has been spotted on the remote Narcondam Island in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago,” an expert said on Tuesday (April 7, 2026).

“The bird, a Sanderling, was photographed by G. Thikanna, an assistant sub-inspector with the Andaman Police, during a posting on the island,” Mumbai-based ornithologist Dr. Raju Kasambe said.

“Mr. Thikanna photographed the bird on Narcondam Island in June 2025, and it was later identified as having travelled 7,472 km from its tagging site in Australia,” said Dr. Kasambe, the former assistant director of the Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai.

He said the sighting not only highlights the extraordinary journey of migratory birds along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway but also marks the first recorded re-sighting of a tagged bird on Narcondam.

“The bird was tagged on April 13, 2025, by Maureen Christie at Brown Bay, South Australia. It reached Narcondam Island two months and three days later on its return journey to its breeding grounds in the northern parts of Asia,” said Dr. Kasambe, who visited South Andaman last month.

Mr. Thikanna, a member of the Andaman Avians Club, spotted the bird during a routine shoreline inspection. “The small wader, which weighs between 40 and 100 gm, bore a red flag with the code ‘DYM’ and a yellow tag,” he said.

Narcondam Island, located 140 nautical miles from Port Blair, is a largely inaccessible area known for its unique biodiversity, including the endemic Narcondam Hornbill.

The discovery highlights the importance of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF), a migratory waterbird route that spans 37 countries from the Arctic through Asia to Australia and New Zealand.