Wildlife of Karnataka - Bird Sanctuaries

Bird Sanctuaries

• Attiveri Bird Sanctuary: This is located in Uttara Kannada district and is spread over 2.23 km². White ibis, little cormorant, pied kingfisher, common grey hornbill are some of the bird species found here.

• Gudavi Bird Sanctuary: This is located in Shimoga district and is spread over 0.73 km². The tree species that dominate this sanctuary are Vitex leucoxylon and Phyllanthus polyphyllus. 191 species of birds are recorded here including white ibis, pheasant-tailed jacana, purplr moorhen and little grebe.

• Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary: This is located in Mysore district and is spread over 0.67 km². Among the tree species found here, is the unique Iphigenia mysorensis. Other tree species include Derris indica and Barringtonia racemosa. This sanctuary houses nearly 170 birds. Birds like cormorants, darter, white ibis, great stone plover, cliff swallow, spoonbills, lesser whistling teal roost here all through the year.

• Mandagadde Bird Sanctuary: This is located in Shimoga district and is based on a small island on the Tunga river. It is mainly visited by migratory birds like Median Egret (Egretta Intermedia), the Little Cormonant (Phalacrocoorax Niger), and the Darter or Snake Bird (Aninga nufa).

• Kaggaladu Heronry: This is located in Tumkur district and is one of the largest painted storks sanctuary in South India. Some of the birds that nest here are painted storks, grey herons, pelicans, black stilts and ducks.

• Kokkare Bellur Pelicanry: This is located in the town of Kokkare Bellur in Mandya district and is a haven for avian species like Grey or Spot-billed Pelican (Pelecanus philippensis) and Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala). In fact the word Kokkare means stork in the Kannada language. Apart from pelicans and storks, 250 species of birds have been sighted here.

• Magadi Bird Sanctuary : Magadi Bird Sanctuary created at The Magadi tank, in Magadi village of Shirhatti Taluk, Gadag District. It is one of the Biodiversity hotspots of Karnataka, in North Karnataka. From Gadag it is 26 km, it is located on Gadag-Bangalore Road, from Shirhatti it is 8 km, and from Lakshmeshwar 11 km. Bar headed goose is one of the bird migrates to Magadi wetlands of Gadag District. Normally birds eat fish, amphibians, molluscs, snakes etc., but Migratory birds eating agricultural produce is both interesting and curious too. winter habitat is on cultivation, it feeds on barley, rice and wheat and damage crops.

• Bankapura Peacock Sanctuary: This is located in Haveri district and spread over an area of 139.10 acres (0.5629 km2). This sanctuary was created mainly for the conservation of peacocks.

• Bonal Bird Sanctuary : This is located about 10 km from Shorapur city in Yadgir district.