In a rare occurrence, two African lapwings, a bird species not known to migrate, have been staying at a lake in Warangal district of Telangana since the beginning of this year.

It is for the first time in India that the presence of African lapwings, native of Africa, has been reported, said Sriram Reddy, state coordinator for eBird, an internet-based platform documenting birds.

While one bird was first spotted in January, a second bird was also seen in April-May, he said.

How the birds have arrived at the Ammavaripet lake near Warangal remains a mystery as they are not migratory by nature, he said.

Though some possibilities are that they could be vagrants or trading birds, it has not been confirmed.

Vagrant means a bird that is well out of its range in an unexpected area. However, a bird slightly out of range is not usually considered vagrant as birds’ ranges shift due to weather patterns, food availability, population numbers, suitable habitat and other factors.

Though the African lapwings are not migratory, they are known to expand their range.

Citing an example, Reddy said the birds were not to be seen in Europe a few decades ago, but they are being spotted there now. The sightings of these birds in unusual places has been noticed.

"Though they are not known to migrate, they are slightly expanding their range. The reasons are not known yet," Reddy added.

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