What is a bird sanctuary?

The bird sanctuary is a conserved and enshrined area that safeguards the native species of birds. Approximately there are 72 bird sanctuaries in India preserving around 1210 genera of bird species. The first bird sanctuary in India is the Vedanthangal Bird sanctuary. Bharatpur bird sanctuary is renowned to be the largest bird sanctuary in India. The Jawaharlal Nehru Bustard sanctuary is the most famous bird sanctuary in India . Read☛ Bird Sanctuary in India PDF

How many bird sanctuary in India are there?

The total bird sanctuary in India is around 72, and roughly 1210 bird species exist, as per the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) report. Additionally, there are 565 wildlife sanctuaries in India covering an area of 122560.85 square kilometers, which is 3.73% of the country's geographical location. Also Read☛ Scientific Study of Birds

Which is the heaviest bird in India?

The great Indian bustard, or Indian bustard, is the heaviest bird in India. The Great Indian Bustard inhabits dry grasslands and scrublands on the Indian subcontinent; its significant populations are in Rajasthan.

Which is the famous bird sanctuary in India?

Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is the most famous bird sanctuary in India. It is home to more than 360 bird species and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a protected sanctuary. It is also known as Keoladeo National Park or Keoladeo Ghana National Park.

Which is the smallest bird in India?

The Tickell flowerpecker is the smallest bird in India. This smallest bird in India is common, especially in urban gardens with berry-bearing trees that feed on nectar and berries. It is also discovered in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and western Myanmar.

Who declares a region as a bird sanctuary in India?

The central government can declare an area as a sanctuary or a national park if satisfied with the specified conditions in section 35. A wildlife sanctuary is defined via a notification; fixation and alternation of boundaries can be done by state legislature via resolution.

Which is the fastest bird in India?

The Peregrine falcon is reported as the fastest bird in India and is quite famous worldwide. The fastest bird in India has been measured at speeds above 83.3 m/s (186 mph), but only when stooping or diving.

Where is the largest bird sanctuary in India?

Bharatpur bird sanctuary is the largest bird sanctuary and Asia's most famous world heritage site. It hosts thousands of birds with over 230 species and is located in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India.

Which is the most famous wildlife sanctuary in India?

The wildlife sanctuaries in India are the places that enshrine the flora and fauna of the places. Check out the list of famous wildlife sanctuaries in India to gain complete knowledge. Jim Corbett National Park, Kaziranga National Park Kanha National Reserve Periyar National Park, Kerala The candidates can also refer to the related articles for gaining complete knowledge of the facts- Wildlife Protection Act 1972 Wildlife Sanctuaries in Arunachal Pradesh Which state has the maximum wildlife sanctuary?

Which is the first bird sanctuary in India?

Vedanthangal bird sanctuary is the oldest sanctuary in India. It is located in Chennai. It comprises of 30 hectares of land. The Vedanthangal bird sanctuary hosts numerous bird species from numerous countries. Some of the birds in this sanctuary are darters, moorhens, pintails, sandpipers etc.

Where is the largest bird sanctuary in India located?

The largest bird sanctuary in India is the Bharatpur bird sanctuary. It has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the host of more than 360 bird species. Numerous other animals also dwell in the sanctuary as listed here- Boar, Sambhar, Nilgai, and Chital.

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Bird Sanctuary in India – List of Famous and Largest Bird Sanctuaries

By Balaji

Updated on: February 17th, 2023

Bird sanctuary in India is a naturally protected area responsible for conserving and protecting native bird species in the country. Famous bird sanctuaries in India preserve different species by providing them with natural habitats to stimulate adequate survival and boost breeding. Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) stated that roughly 72 bird sanctuary in India contains approximately 1210 bird species.

The list of bird sanctuary in India remains under legal protection so that human involvement does not impact the wildlife there. Along with the bird sanctuary in India, the wildlife sanctuary serves to be a prominent tourist destination. Bird sanctuaries are well-known due to weather change influence and the tourism industry. For illustration, the first bird sanctuary of Kerela, Thattekad Bird Sanctuary in India, faced a lot of tourism-brought crises. In this article, walk through the famous bird sanctuary in India state-wise, and learn in-depth information about the 5 largest bird sanctuaries in India.

Table of content

1. Major Bird Sanctuaries in India
2. List of Bird Sanctuaries In India (State-Wise)
3. 5 Important Bird Sanctuaries in India
4. Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary – Largest Bird Sanctuary in India
5. Jawaharlal Nehru Bustard Sanctuary – Famous Bird Sanctuary in India
6. Chilika Lake Bird Sanctuary in India
7. Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary in India
8. Thattekad Bird Sanctuary in India
9. Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary UPSC

Major Bird Sanctuaries in India

Almost all the bird sanctuaries in India remain open from morning to evening throughout the year. The best time to explore any bird sanctuary in India is during the winter, though the breeding season for most species varies between June and September. The season lets visitors perceive colorful, lively, and rare migratory birds. Here is the list of the best bird sanctuary in India state-wise, comprising mixed species of birds who migrate from junctions of the world.

List of Bird Sanctuaries In India (State-Wise)

Look at the list of states and their bird sanctuaries discovered in India. An interesting thing to note is: The biggest bird sanctuary in India is the Bharatpur bird sanctuary, whereas the first bird sanctuary in India is Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary.

State	Bird Sanctuary of India
Andhra Pradesh	Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary
	Sri Lankamalleswara Wildlife Sanctuary
	Kondakarla Ava Bird Sanctuary
	Manjira Bird Sanctuary
	Sri Penusila Narasimha Wildlife Sanctuary
	Uppalapadu Bird Sanctuary
	Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary
	Kolleru Bird Sanctuary
	Atapaka Bird Sanctuary
	Rollapadu Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary
Bihar	Nagi Dam Bird Sanctuary
Delhi	Okhla Bird Sanctuary
Delhi	Najafgarh drain bird sanctuary
Goa	Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary
Gujarat	Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary
	Wachana Bird Sanctuary
	Porbandar Bird Sanctuary
	Gaga Wildlife Sanctuary
	Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary
	Kutch Bustard Sanctuary
Haryana	Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary
	Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary
	Khaparwas Wildlife Sanctuary
Himachal Pradesh	Kais Wildlife Sanctuary
	Gamgul
	Bandli Wildlife Sanctuary
	Pong Dam Lake WLS (declared as a Bird Sanctuary In 1983)
Jharkhand	Udhuwa Lake Bird Sanctuary
Karnataka	Mandagadde Bird Sanctuary
	Bankapura
	Adichanchunagiri Wildlife Sanctuary
	Gudavi Bird Sanctuary
	Bonal Bird Sanctuary
	Ghataprabha Bird Sanctuary
	Magadi Bird Sanctuary
	Attiveri Bird Sanctuary
	Bankapur Peacock Conservation Reserve (Bird)
	Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary
	Kaggaladu Bird Sanctuary
	Kokkare Bellur Community Reserve (Bird)
Kerala	Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary
	Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary
	Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary
	Pathiramanal
	Thattekad Bird Sanctuary
Madhya Pradesh	Karera Bustard Sanctuary
	Ghatigaon Bustard Sanctuary
	Sardarpur Kharmor (Lesser Florican) Sanctuary
	Sailana Kharmor (Lesser Florican) Sanctuary
Maharashtra	Nandur Madhmeshwar Bird Sanctuary
	Jawaharlal Nehru Bustard Sanctuary
	Karnala Bird Sanctuary
	Mayani Bird Sanctuary
	Jaikwadi Bird Sanctuary
	Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary
Mizoram	Lengteng Wildlife Sanctuary
Nagaland	Khonoma Nature Conservation and Tragopan Sanctuary
Odisha	Chilika Lake Bird Sanctuary
Odisha	Nalabana Bird Sanctuary
Punjab	Harike Lake Bird Sanctuary
Rajasthan	Keoladeo National Park/Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary
	Tal Chhapar Sanctuary
	Desert National Park
Tamil Nadu	Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary
	Thiruppudai- Maruthur Conservation Reserve (Bird)
	Ariyakulam Bird Sanctuary
	Vaduvoor Lake Bird Sanctuary
	Point Calimere Bird Sanctuary
	Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary
	Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary
	Udayamarthandapuram Bird Sanctuary
	Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary
	Vellode Birds Sanctuary
	Vettangudi Bird Sanctuary
	Suchindram Theroor Birds Sanctuary
Sikkim	Kitam Bird Sanctuary
Uttar Pradesh	Sandi Bird Sanctuary
	Samaspur Sanctuary
	Sur Sarovar Bird Sanctuary
	Saman Sanctuary
	Okhla Sanctuary
	Lakh Bahosi Sanctuary
	Bakhira Sanctuary
	Patna Bird Sanctuary
	Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary
Uttarakhand	Asan Barrage Bird Sanctuary
Uttarakhand	Jhilmil Jheel Conservation Reserve (Bird)
Uttar Pradesh	Thasrana Bird Sanctuary (Dhanauri Wetlands)
West Bengal	Rasikbill Bird Sanctuary
	Chintamoni Kar Bird Sanctuary
	Raiganj Wildlife Sanctuary/Kulik Bird Sanctuary
	Kulik Bird Sanctuary (Raiganj WLS)

The Great Indian Bustard, including its characteristics, habitat, and top GIB national parks, by clicking on the link provided.

5 Important Bird Sanctuaries in India

Listed below is the basic information about the top bird sanctuaries in India, the best months to visit them, their location, bird species found there, and their open timings. Get the complete details of the largest bird sanctuary, the most famous bird sanctuary in India, and other details related to the bird sanctuaries. Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is attributed to be the largest bird sanctuary in India. Here is the list of bird sanctuaries in India-

Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary
Jawaharlal Nehru Bustard Sanctuary
Chilika Bird Sanctuary
Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary
Thattekad Bird Sanctuary

Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary – Largest Bird Sanctuary in India

Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is also referred to as Keoladeo National Park or Keoladeo Ghana National Park, Bharatpur bird sanctuary is among the largest bird sanctuaries in India. This avifauna sanctuary in Rajasthan, containing similar kinds of birds of a region or environment, is declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a protected sanctuary.

This bird sanctuary is a dwelling of more than 360 bird species.
The largest sanctuary in India also contains other animal species like Boar, Sambar, Nilgai, and Chital.
It is a delightful site for nature enthusiasts and wildlife fans.

About the Largest Bird Sanctuary in India
Visiting Timings	8 am – 5 pm
Location	Bharatpur, Rajasthan
Birds Species Found	Cranes, shanks, stints, larks, wagtails, hawks, warblers, wheatears, flycatchers, pelicans, geese, ducks, eagles, buntings, and pipits
Best Visiting Months	August, October, November and February
Ticket Price	INR 50 per person for Indians INR 100 for rickshaw rides INR 400 per person for foreigners

Jawaharlal Nehru Bustard Sanctuary – Famous Bird Sanctuary in India

The most famous bird sanctuary in India is Jawaharlal Nehru Bustard Sanctuary, found near Solapur and possesses a vast population of Indian bustards. The exotic birds that stop here in this sanctuary for a break make the place a famous bird sanctuary.

The months from August to January are known as the Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary, as these are the best months to visit this place.
Other fauna species found in this sanctuary are wolves, common mongoose, and Indian foxes.

About the Famous Bird Sanctuary in India- Jawaharlal Nehru Bustard Sanctuary
Visiting Timings	6 am – 6 pm
Location	Nannaj, Maharashtra
Birds Species Found	Indian bustard, laughing love, shikra, spot-billed duck, grey francolin, and snake eagle
Best Visiting Months	October – January

Chilika Lake Bird Sanctuary in India

The biggest brackish water lake in India, Chilika Lake Bird Sanctuary in India, contains more than 260 migratory species of birds that move from Ladakh, the Himalayas, the Caspian Sea, the Aral Sea, Russia, Mongolia, etc., to this sanctuary every year.

Several birds arrive at this bird sanctuary for breeding and stay for months.
Chilika Lake is utilized as a fishing zone, and saltpans are discovered near the coasts.
The area has many other fauna species, including crabs, crustaceans, limbless lizards, prawns, and Irrawaddy dolphins.

About Chilika Bird Sanctuary
Visiting Timings	08:00 A.M. to 05:00 P.M.
Location	Nalaban, Odisha
Birds Species Found	Flamingos, Geese, Eagles
Best Visiting Months	October to March
Ticket Price	Free entry

Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary in India

The most famous bird sanctuary in India, covering an area of 1.43 sq. km., is Sultanpur bird sanctuary in Haryana. During winters, many migratory birds fly from Siberia, Eastern Europe, Turkey, and Russia to here. More than 250 species of regional birds are seen here, and more than 100 species emigrate during various times of the year.

About Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary
Visiting Timings	6 am – 4:30 pm
Location	Gurgaon Farukh Nagar Rd, Sultanpur, Gurugram, Haryana
Birds Species Found	Black-necked stork, white-throated kingfisher, rock pigeon, rose-ringed parakeet, great egret, red collared dove, cattle egret, laughing dove Indian roller, red wattled lapwing, common mynah, etc.
Best Visiting Months	October to February
Ticket Price	INR 5 per person for Indians INR 40 per person for foreigners

Thattekad Bird Sanctuary in India

Thattekad is the first bird sanctuary in Kerala, India. It constitutes an evergreen lowland forest by the banks of the Periyar river. One of the renowned ornithologists, Salim Ali, described the sanctuary as the “richest bird habitat in the Indian peninsula,” consisting of vibrant bird varieties.

About Thattekad Bird Sanctuary
Visiting Timings	6 am – 6 pm
Location	Kothamangalam-Pooyamkutty Road, Nyayapally PO, Thattekad, Kerala
Birds Species Found	Indian pitta, cormorant, Indian cuckoo, Jordan’s nightjar, Orange-headed thrush, large-billed leaf warbler, and oriental darter
Best Visiting Months	November – February
Ticket Price	INR 10 per person

Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary UPSC

The Ranganthittu bird sanctuary is also renowned to be the Pakshi Kashi of Karnataka. It is located in the Mandya district of Karnataka. It witnesses floods during heavy rainfall in the monsoon season. Approximately 170 bird species have been marked to be existing in the Ranganathittu bird sanctuary in Karnataka. It was accredited as the Ramsar site in 2022. There was a numerous number of flora and fauna that are present in the sanctuary. This holds immense global importance.

Important Notes for UPSC
Nine Gems of Akbar	State Reorganisation Commission
Which State Gives the Highest Numbers of Civil Services Success?	Permanent Settlement System
Panchsheel Agreement	Regional Parties in India