10 Fascinating Bird Sanctuaries in India

The first bird sanctuary in India on our list takes us to Bharatpur, Rajasthan. Yes, we are talking about the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary. Or the Keoladeo National Park, which is its present name! Here, you will get to see more than 360 species of birds. Cranes, pelicans, geese, ducks, eagles, hawks, shanks, buntings, larks, and pipits are some of them! We know you will be busy with all those birds, but do notice the natural beauty of this place, it is really beautiful! If you are planning to visit, the best way to reach this sanctuary will be a flight to Delhi and then a bus to Bharatpur!

This is another fine bird sanctuary in India for bird lovers and also for all nature lovers. This sanctuary is home to 250 species of birds. And yes, a huge number of migratory birds come from all over the world to this sanctuary every winter. A few of the birds you are sure to find here are black-necked stork, white-throated kingfisher, great egret, and red collared dove. Here’s how you can plan a visit. Take a flight to Delhi and from there a taxi will bring you here!

You may have heard about the famous ornithologist, Salim Ali. Many have been inspired by him, which is why this bird sanctuary was named after him. The bird sanctuary is situated among the mangroves. After your flight to Goa, you can reach there by ferry. Once you reach, you surely will get lost in its greenery and scenic view. Coming to the birds! Here you will get to see Malabar trogons, drongos, cormorants, sandpipers, purple herons, woodpeckers, white egrets, curlews, and kites among many others! Do you know this sanctuary is also a great spot for the mating of birds because of its thriving ecosystem? Well, now you do!

This lush green sanctuary is home to a lot of seasonal birds. And during winter you would be spellbound by thousands of migratory birds coming over to this sanctuary from Siberia and the Himalayas. Here are some of the birds you can see all year round! Paradise flycatchers, golden back woodpeckers, and brahminy kites! Take our advice and go boating. Watching the water birds while boating is one of the best things to do in Kumarakom. We are sure you are excited to be here. And for that, all you gotta do is take a flight to Kochi followed by a cab to Kumarakom!

We said the first bird sanctuary in India would be on the list, here it is! Board a flight to Chennai, then a cab to Vedanthangal, and you will be at this oldest bird sanctuary. Let's dig into a fascinating history about this place. It was a hunting ground for lords during the 18th century which is why it is known as ‘hamlet of the hunters’. In 1938, the hunting ground was turned into this beautiful bird sanctuary. Now, let’s see what birds you can find here. Grey pelican, snakebird, spot bill duck, and spoonbill duck are some of the birds you can see here! And also, over 40000 migratory birds visit during winters!

This biodiversity spot is a favourite for all nature lovers. And it will become your favourite too because it is home to vivid and colourful species of birds and animals. Along with a plethora of wildlife, you will also be welcomed by the sheer beauty of the sanctuary. You are bound to fall in love with this sanctuary once you see all the lovely birds nesting in their natural habitat and chirping happily. Make sure you get a glimpse of grey pelicans, rosy pelicans, and budgerigars when you visit. Remember, the nearest airport to the sanctuary is in Bangalore and from there, you have to take the roadways to get here! And here are some amazing deals on flights to Bangalore for you.

You have probably heard about Chilka lake, the largest saltwater lagoon in Asia. Well, it is also home to a lot of rare and exotic water birds. Board a flight to Bhubaneswar. From there, take a bus, taxi or train to the sanctuary. Once you are here, you can go bird watching on a boat on this lake and be amazed by the enchanting landscape. We know you are wondering; you can spot white-bellied sea eagles, purple moorhen, jacana, and greylag geese here. The one bird you cannot miss out on is the popular flamingo. Because Chilka Lake Bird Sanctuary is the largest breeding home for these pink flamingos in the entire world!

Are you planning for a vacation in Gujarat? Then board a flight to Bhuj and make sure to visit the Kutch Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary. You would find more than 250 species of bird here. Out of which the largest in number are the Indian Bustard. These neutral-coloured birds with lock necks look absolutely stunning when they are in flocks. Get your camera ready and click some amazing snaps of these birds. Don’t forget to post them on your Instagram!

If you are boarding a flight to Ahmedabad anytime soon, you must visit this bird sanctuary. After all, Nal Sarovar is India’s largest bird sanctuary! There is a huge lake inside the sanctuary where you can find a variety of birds and animals lying lazily or drinking water. We definitely think that hiring a boat is the best way to explore the sanctuary. So, go for a boat ride! This is the biggest bird sanctuary in India, there must be many species of bird. There are! 300 species! And the number increases during the migratory season. You can see the migratory bird during the migratory season. But you can see geese, spoonbills, ducks, pelicans, eagles, and flamingos any time of the year!

The last stoppage on our list is ironically the first-ever sanctuary in Kerala! The tropical forest gives the perfect home to the 300 species of birds. You can easily spot the Sri Lankan frogmouth, racket-tailed drongo, bronzed drongo, and rufous babbler here. If you want to have some exciting activities, this sanctuary has that too. You can choose from jungle safari, trekking, hiking, and camping. Here’s a reminder. The nearest airport is in Kochi, from where you can reach the sanctuary via road. And to make your travel plans easy, here are some flights to Kochi!

Go bird lovers, the bird sanctuaries await you!