Birding at Thattekad

Home to Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary in South India. The destination is located in Nnijiyapalli Hills in Western Ghats which encompasses the Western Ghats. The sanctuary was established in the year 1983 to preserve and protect the bird species and wildlife. The sanctuary was established on the recommendation of World fame ornithologist Salim Ali to the Kerala Government. The sanctuary is 25 sq. Km long and 60 sq. km wide encompassing an area of 1500 sq km.

The species is home to more than 500 avian species and mammals like the Nilgiri Langur, Lion Tailed Macaque, leopard, wild elephants, and the sloth bear. Thattekkad is the only bird sanctuary in the Indian State of Kerala and is situated in Kothamangalam Taluk of Ernakulam District. The destination is like a hill resort encompassing scenic splendor all around. There are other urban attractions near Thaattekad. 

It is home to true tropical forests, tropical deciduous, teak plantations, tropical semi-evergreen forests, and riparian forests. The main wood is mahogany, fruit orchard, and rosewood.       

The avian species comprise forest species and wetland ones enhancing the avian diversity that attracts thousands of birders and tourists. Most of the visitors are keen ornithologists while the rest are amateur birders that visit the place on holiday. The birds found here are:

• Orange-headed thrush
• Nilgiri Wood Pigeon
• Blue Faced Malkoha
• Large-billed leaf-warbler
• Greater Coucal
• Jerdon's nightjar
• Mountain Hawk Cuckoo
• Indian Cuckoo
• Oriental darter
• Green Imperial Pigeon
• Cormorants
• Chestnut Winged Cuckoo
• White Rumped Needle Tail
• Whiskered terns
• Collared scops owl
• Ceylon frogmouth
• Grey-fronted green pigeon
• Yellow-browed bulbuls 
• Great Eared-Nightjar
• Jungle Nightjar
• Brown Boobook
• Jerdon's Nightjar
• Sri Lanka Bay Owl
• Indian Nightjar
• Savanna Nightjar
• Black Baza
• Malayan Night Heron 
• Crested Serpent-Eagle
• Legge's Hawk-Eagle
• Changeable Hawk-Eagle
• Rufous-bellied Eagle
• Black Eagle
• Crested Goshawk
• Malabar Woodshrike
• Large Woodshrike
• Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike
• Sri Lankan Frogmouth 
• Greenish/Large-billed Leaf Warbler
• Western Crowned Warbler
• Jerdon's Leafbird
• Golden-fronted Leafbird

The list is endless and bird enthusiasts should spend as many days as possible to make a large checklist and enjoy the wildlife as well. The sanctuary is about 12 km from Kothamangalam. The sanctuary is a lowland forest surrounded by the Periyar River. In Kerala Thattekad bird sanctuary is the only one. Altough plenty are found in the reserve forests. 

The Idamalyar forests are 15 km from Thattekad Bird Sanctuary birds found in this forests are Mountain Hawk Eagle, dark-fronted babbler, brown-cheeked fulvetta, brown-backed and white-rumped needletails, and emerald green pigeons.

How to Reach?

The nearest airport is Kochi, which is at a distance of 64 km. The nearest railhead is Aluva while a good road connection provides a journey by road.  

Birding at Pangot in Uttrakhand

 Located at 1400 MSL 14 km from Nainital Resort Pangot is a paradise for bird watchers. During the harsh winters when it snows in the Himalayas, birds descend to Pangot for residence in a warmer climate. Though the destination is not as cold as we presume up there in the Himalayas it is much colder.

Pangot is not a hill resort and only a few birders frequent the place. At 2100 MSL Vinyak Hill is the highest point where you can see the Chir Pheasant, Koklass Pheasant, and the Ultramarine flycatcher. The climb from Pangot township is steep and is manageable only by trained drivers.

Birders make frequent stops to watch the avian species and the Himalayan Mountain Range on a clear day.  There are frequent stops on the way like the Woodpeckers Point where woodpeckers and many interesting species are seen.

• Greater Yellow-naped Woodpecker                       
• Streak-throated Woodpecker                   
• Grey-headed Woodpecker                        
• Scaly-bellied Woodpecker                          
• Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker                          
• Stripe-breasted Woodpecker                    
• Brown-fronted Woodpecker                     
• Himalayan Woodpecker               
• Rufous-bellied Woodpecker      

 Avian species are seen all along the climb from the township. The township is small with few hutments and a store. There are a few resorts in the township that cater to the birders. Nothing Else!   The forest comprises Oak, Deodar, Pine, Cedar, and Juniper Bushes. The species inhabit this vegetation and are not hard to find by ornithologists. 

Birds of Pangot:

• Chir Pheasant
• Koklass Pheasant
• Himalayan Vultures
• Bearded Vulture
• Peregrine Falcon
• Eurasian Vulture
• Bearded Vulture
• Spot Winged Tit
• Brown-fronted woodpecker
• Himalayan Woodpecker
• Rufus bellied woodpecker, Black Eagle 
• Upland Pipit
• Mountain Bulbul,
• Hill partridge
• Lesser racket-tailed drongo
• Pink-browed rosefinch
• Mistle thrush,
• Dark-breasted rosefinch
• Yellow-browed tit
• Blue-winged thrush
• Brown Fronted Woodpecker
• Alpine Accentor
• Himalayan Quail
• Asian Barred Owlet
• Hill Partridge
• Kalij Pheasant
• Asian Palm Swift
• Little Swift
• Large Hawk-Cuckoo
• Himalayan Cuckoo
• Mountain Scops Owl
• Speckled Piculet
• Coal Tit
• Chestnut Crowned Laughing Thrush
• Maroon Oriole
• Fire Breasted Flycatcher
• Green Tailed Sunbird

The list of avain species found at Pangot is endless. If you wish to see Himalayan Birds Pangot is the right place to do so. Birders arrive here to spot birds of Pangot throughout the season. This lone isolated town does not attract general tourists but only ornithologists.

Bird Watching in India

 The Indian subcontinent has more than 1300 species of birds but when you add the subspecies the number goes up to 2200. This number is more than other continents or countries of the world. However, the number does not count all the time. Birders' visit is dependent upon the species and experience that the country offers.

India does not lag behind in all these aspects and is rich in the diversity of avifauna. We have an affinity with three zoogeographical zones.

• Pale Arctic
• Ethiopian
• Indo Malayan   

If we add our own zoogeographical zone the number rises to four. There are many subregions that India has an affinity with and this explains the immense diversity in terms of a number of avian species. The birding spots in the country are famous for ornithological quests. Some are home to endemic, rare, and targetted species. Not forgetting the common species which though common differ somewhat in morphological and behavioral aspects.

Most of the birds in India are under serious threat like the Great Indian Bustard, Lesser Florican, Sarus Crane, Black-necked stork,  White Winged Wood Duck, and Indian skimmer to name a few. The greatest threat arises from cement structures being built and advancing urbanization. Lakes, reservoirs, rivers, and other water bodies are shrinking fast. Natural habitats are being into urban structures leaving little space for wetland and shore birds. Deforestation is another big culprit which is fast reducing space for the forest birds.

Like in the case of mammals avians too are facing an existential threat and what will remain in the future is anybody's guess.

Birding in India

It is not a one-way story and conservation initiatives are being used to stem the rot.

Some of the best birding spots in India are

• Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary
• Little Rann of Kutch    
• Chilika Lake
• Thatekkad Bird Sanctuary
• Cold Deserts of Ladakh
• Pangot
• SatTal
• Nal Sarover
• Tal Chhaper
• Chopta Mandal
• Dandeli
• Desert National Park
• Latpancher
• Thor

The spots can be extended with more spots added to the list. If we add the tiger reserves the scope for bird watching in India expands immensely. Tiger reserves, numerous water bodies, and rivers all house a wide variety of avian species. The birding spots are well organized with tourist infrastructure in place.  Transportation is not a problem my advice is to hire a birding guide local or pan India to make the trip a great success.