There's good news for anyone who missed out on watching flamingos in the city this year — the pink visitors have decided to stay on a little longer. While their season in Mumbai is usually from November to May, huge flocks of greater flamingos have stayed back this time. While some credit the abundance of silt and food in the city for this, others fear that habitat loss in Gujarat might be to blame for the delayed migration.

Every year, thousands of flamingos descend upon mudflats in Mumbai and Thane in November, eventually migrating back to Gujarat in May. Of the 30,000-odd birds that fly here every winter, usually only 10% are greater flamingos (distinguished by long curved neck and black tip of the beak), and the majority are lesser flamingos (smaller and brighter).