Thattekad Bird Sanctuary
| Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary തട്ടേക്കാട് പക്ഷി സങ്കേതം | |
|---|---|
| Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary | |
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
 A Malabar grey hornbill at Thattekkad | |
  Location within Kerala  Location within India | |
Interactive map of Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary തട്ടേക്കാട് പക്ഷി സങ്കേതം | |
| Location | Kothamangalam taluka, Ernakulam district, Kerala state, India |
| Nearest city | Kochi (Cochin) |
| Coordinates | 10°08′N 76°41′E / 10.13°N 76.68°E |
| Area | 25.16 km2 (6,220 acres) |
| Average elevation | 279 m (915 ft) |
| Max. elevation | 523 m (1,716 ft) |
| Min. elevation | 35 m (115 ft) |
| Established | 1983 |
The Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary covers an area of barely 25 km2 (9.7 sq mi) and is located in Kerala state, India. It was the first bird sanctuary in Kerala described by Salim Ali as the richest bird habitat on peninsular India.[1] Thattekkad literally means flat forest, and the region is a deciduous but generally moist low-land forest surrounding the Periyar River, the longest river in Kerala.
Species
The Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary has a rich and varied birdlife. Several species of birds, both forest birds as well as water birds, visit the sanctuaries; notable ones include the following: The Indian pitta, which visits the sanctuary during winter and spends almost six months here.
- Orange-headed thrush
- Large-billed leaf-warbler
- Jerdon's nightjar
- Indian cuckoo
- Oriental darter
- Cormorants
- Whiskered terns
- Collared scops owl
- Ceylon frogmouth
- Grey-fronted green pigeon
- Yellow-browed bulbuls
The sanctuary is a habitat for different varieties of cuckoos and a region of the sanctuary popularly called "Cuckoo Paradise" is home to them, among which are the
- Drongo cuckoo, which may be easily mistaken for drongo,
- Indian hawk cuckoo, which is highly vocal, and the
- Large hawk cuckoo, which looks relatively massive compared to other types of cuckoos, and is characterized by a dark grey and heavily streaked throat.
See also
Notes
- ↑ "Bird sanctuaries: Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary". ENVIS Centre: Kerala, State of Environment and Related Issues, Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment. Archived from the original on 1 January 2013.
References
- Swarna V.; Ramakrishnana, S. (28 May 2006). "Inside a magical rainforest". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 1 January 2013.
- "Bird sanctuaries: Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary". ENVIS Centre: Kerala, State of Environment and Related Issues, Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment. Archived from the original on 1 January 2013.
- Staff (5 May 2009). "Rich pickings await bird lovers here". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 1 January 2013.
- Staff (12 August 2010). "Feel the wild at Thattekkad". Malayala Manorama.
External links
