India is a nation that has a huge biodiversity. Due to this, it is home to some very rare species of animals and birds. Speaking of birds India is home to the 1301 species of birds. Furthermore, during winters Siberian birds also migrate to India. Indian land is filled with all kinds of birds like Nilgiri flycatcher, Indian peacock, and Malabar parakeet. All of these birds can be found in their specific homes all over India. Being a large country also helps India to be home for a lot of species of birds.
However, these birds are not always safe they face hunting on a regular level. To protect them the Government of India has made bird sanctuaries, where these rare and beautiful species of birds are protected under surveillance. These bird sanctuaries are also a great tourist place for bird watchers, where they can have a look at some of the very rare species of birds. So’ here is a list of Top 10 Popular Bird Sanctuary In India.
1. Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary
Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is located in Rajasthan and this bird sanctuary is also known by the name of Keoladeo Ghana National Park. This sanctuary was created 250 years ago by Maharaja Suraj Mal. It has an area of 29 km2 (11 sq mi) and is home to the 366 bird species. Some of these are waterfowls like Asian open-billed stork, oriental ibis, darter, common sandpiper, wood sandpiper, and green sandpiper. Some other land birds are bulbuls, buntings, chats, Painted francolins and quails. It is basically located near India.
2. Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary
Sultanpur bird sanctuary is located in the Gurgaon district of Haryana and its 15 kilometers (9.3 mi) away Gurgaon. Every year hosts several immigrant birds like Amur falcons, Egyptian vultures, plovers, ducks, and storks. This bird sanctuary was formed in 1972 and further, in 1989 it was made a national park. This park has Rs. 5 entry fee. It is a perfect location for bird watchers because it gives them an astonishing view of birds like spotted owlet, rock pigeon, magpie robin, greater coucal, weaver bird, bank mynah, common mynah, and green bee-eater.
3. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary
Salim Ali bird sanctuary is located in the state of Goa. In Goa, it is basically located on Chorão island, which is along the river Mandovi. It is named an Indian ornithologist Salim Ali, who was dedicated to the protection of birds. This bird sanctuary is very small in terms of area, which is only a 178 ha (440 acres) on but some very rare species of birds are found there that includes little bittern, black bittern, red knot, jack snipe, and pied avocet. Due to these bird species, Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary has become one of the famous tourist attractions in Goa.
4. Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary
Kumarakom bird sanctuary is located in the state of Kerala. It is also known by the name of the Vembanad bird sanctuary, named after the Vembanad lake near it. It also becomes home to several migrant birds like the Siberian crane. Parrot, teal, lark, and flycatcher. There are also some local birds too that includes waterfowl, cuckoo, owl, cormorant, moorhen, darter, and brahminy kite. This bird sanctuary has an area of 14 acres (5.7 ha). It is basically located in the black waters of Kerala.
5.Ranganthittu Bird Sanctuary
Ranganthittu bird sanctuary is located in Karnataka on the banks of the Kaveri river. It has an area of 40 acres (16 ha). It hosted around 3 lakh visitors in 2016-2017. This bird sanctuary is home to 170 species of birds that includes Indian shag, Stork-billed Kingfisher, egret, cormorant, Oriental Darter, spot-billed pelican, and heron. This park was established back in 1940. This bird sanctuary is home to birds like light Ibis, Egret, Partridge, Heron, River Tern, and Snake Bird.
6.Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary
Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary is located in the state of Tamil Nadu. It was established in 1936 and has an area of 0.3 km2 (0.1 sq mi). This sanctuary is located 75 kilometers (47 mi) away from the capital city of Chennai. It is a famous location among bird watchers and hosts several species of migrant birds like garganey, grey wagtail, blue-winged teal, and common sandpiper. Around 40,000 birds visit Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary every year. This was a very famous hunting spot in the18th century. There is also a lake here, which is called as Vedanthangal lake and has a maximum depth of 5m.
7.Kolleru Lake Bird Sanctuary
Kolleru Lake bird sanctuary is located in Andhra Pradesh and has an area of 357.6 km2 (88,400 acres). This region was made bird sanctuary in 1999. It has an area of 673 square kilometers. As its name suggest its main attraction is Kolleru Lake. Kolleru Lake Bird Sanctuary covers a large area of Krishna and West Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh. It has become a big tourist attraction due to the presence of various species of birds in Kolleru Lake.
8.Chilika Lake Bird Sanctuary
Chilika lake bird sanctuary is located in Orissa and is named after Chilika lake. Chillika lake being the main attraction this sanctuary has become one of the main tourist spots in Orissa. This region hosts a large population of migrant birds from Russia in winter. This makes it a perfect destination for bird watchers. In 1998 a survey was conducted, which showed the bird population in Chilika lake equal to 2 million. This lake is a brackish water lagoon and has an area of 1,100 km2. The birds found in Chilika lake includes white-bellied sea eagles, pariah kites, kestrels, and marsh harriers.
9. Mayani Bird Sanctuary
Mayani Bird Sanctuary is located in the state of Maharashtra. Every year Siberia flamingos come to Mayani Bird Sanctuary and make it a destination for many bird watchers. It is located in the Satara district and is a famous location. Alongside flamingos, many other species of birds are also found there that include northern shoveller, stork and kingfisher. There is a lake in the region which was built due to the Mayani Dam, this becomes the home for migrant birds. It is a must-visit place between the months of November and January.
10. Kanwar Lake Bird Sanctuary
Kanwar Lake or Kanwar Taal Bird Sanctuary is located in the state of Bihar and has an area of 120.82-square-kilometer (46.65 sq mi). It was established in 1987 and it hosts almost 60 species of migrant birds every winter. Alongside these, there are 106 species of local birds too. Some of these birds are critically endangered too. These include Indian darter, Painted Stork, Black-bellied Tern, Oriental white-backed vulture, and Long-billed Vulture. Due to these birds, it is one of the most famous tourist spots in Bihar.