Kozhikode: In an exciting sighting for birdwatchers, a Black-breasted Weaver, a species seldom recorded in Kerala, was recently spotted visiting Eliyottu Hill. The bird was identified by ornithologist and educator Dr. Abdulla Paleri.

Typically confined to low-lying grasslands and scrub forests, the bird's presence at Eliyottu Hill, which sits around 1,500 feet above sea level, makes it a particularly unusual and noteworthy observation.

The Black-breasted Weaver was recorded in the state for the very first time just last November in Kannur, with a subsequent sighting that same month at Kottappally in Kozhikode. Interestingly, while earlier sightings saw it mingling with flocks of Baya Weavers, this time it was found foraging alongside munias.