List of Bird Sanctuary of India

Bird Sanctuary of India: The present era is marked by various environmental challenges that require immediate and proactive solutions. One of the prominent strategies we are actively employing to address these problems is the preservation of biodiversity. In the Indian context, the commitment to conserving biodiversity is deeply embedded. India is home to numerous biosphere reserves, national parks, and wildlife sanctuaries, all playing crucial roles in this conservation effort.

Bird Sanctuary of India

A bird sanctuary more specifically is a natural protected area for the conservation and protection of indigenous and other bird species, In bird, sanctuary Birds are preserved in their natural habitat to facilitate their better survival and encourage Breeding. The sanctuary is under legal protection so that human interference does not affect the wildlife there, the Wildlife Sanctuary, however, serve to be a very popular tourist spot. As per the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), there are around 72 Bird Sanctuaries in India and around 1210 bird species.

The Bird sanctuary makes a very important part of Static GK, questions in every exam are asked about the bird sanctuary, their location or the current events or plans associated with them, and as you all know in the competitive exam every single mark count so why spare any chance of gaining one, below we are providing you with a list of Birds sanctuary In India which are important from the examination point of view.

List of Bird Sanctuary of India

Top Bird Sanctuaries in India

There are certain Bird Sanctuaries which are famous in India and become one of the most visited tourist spots due to the great number of bird species it attracts. Let’s know about some of such bird sanctuaries in detail –

1. Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary

• It was created in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, during 1726 to 1763 when a large area with a natural depression was flooded after the Ajan Bund was built by the then King of the Bharatpur state, Maharaja Suraj Mal.
• Now known as the Keoladeo Ghana National Park, was named after the local temple dedicated to Lord Shiva which is locally known as Keoladeo Temple.
• Apart from the exotic avifauna species such as native water birds, migratory winter birds, waterside birds, etc., the dense forest of the sanctuary is also home to the various species of Deer – Chital, Sambar, Spotted Deer as well as Wild Boar and Nilgai.
• The hundreds of exotic migratory birds are the prime attractions for the bird-loving tourists visit the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary.
• The prime species of the migratory bird that visit Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary are different species of Cranes, Geese, Pelicans, Ducks, Hawks, Eagles, Shanks, Stints, Warblers, Wagtails, Wheatears, Pipits, Larks, Flycatchers, Buntings, etc.

2. Thattekad Bird Sanctuary, Kerala

• The Thattekkad bird sanctuary aka Dr Salim Ali bird sanctuary, which is the first bird sanctuary in Kerala, is located on the banks of the Periyar river, about 12 km from Kothamangalam, in Kerala.
• It is named after Dr Salim Ali, the best-known ornithologist in India. He is also referred to as “the bird man of India” as he was the first Indian to conduct scientific avian surveys across India.
• Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary has a rich and varied birdlife(280 + species)and wildlife.
• Several species of forest birds, water birds and migratory birds visit the sanctuary.

3. Soor Sarovar Bird Sanctuary

• Soor Sarovar Bird Sanctuary is more popularly known as Keetham Lake, after the lake and the surrounding area which constitutes the sanctuary.
• Keetham Lake, a haven for waterfowl, was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1991.
• It is a bird sanctuary near Agra that is home to nearly two dozen types of migratory and resident birds.
• This sanctuary has been added to the list of Ramsar sites in 2020.

4. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary

• Located on Chorao island along the Mandovi River, the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is one of Goa‘s smallest protected reserves, but it is also one of the most delicate ones.
• The sanctuary is named after the pre-eminent Indian ornithologist Dr Salim Moizzudin Ali, so naturally, the place is a haven for some of the rarest birds in the country.
• Named after Dr Salim Ali, the famous Indian ornithologist, the sanctuary attracts a wide variety of migratory birds every winter.
• Goa is home to 450 species of birds of the 1,349 species found across India, and some that have been observed at this sanctuary include the long-legged striated heron, western reef heron, wading little bittern, black bittern with its yellow neck sides, migratory shoreline-dwelling red knot, marsh-dwelling jack snipe, large black and white pied wetland-dwelling avocet, several species of kingfishers, white egrets, purple herons, cormorants, eagles, kites, woodpeckers, and mynahs.

5. Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary

Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary (also known as Vembanad Bird Sanctuary) is situated at Kumarakom in the Indian state of Kerala, on the banks of Vembanad Lake.

• The sanctuary was formerly known as Baker’s Estate after the name of Englishman George Alfred Baker
• It is one of the favourite haunts of migratory birds in the state.
• The sanctuary is home to almost 25,000 birds that belong to 180 species.
• The main attractions are local birds like the waterfowl, cuckoo, owl, egret, heron and water duck, as well as the migratory Siberian cranes. Parrots, teal, larks, flycatchers, wood beetle, and other birds are seen here during their respective migratory seasons.

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