Birding In South India

Duration : 17 Nights / 18 Days tour by road and air
Destination : Night in Chennai - Mysore - Nagarhole - Mudumalai - Munnar - Periyar - Cochin

Geographically, South India is characterized by the Western Ghats range that separates the western seaboard from the relatively dry high tableland in the interior, known as the Deccan Plateau. Another shorter, less massive range known as the Eastern Ghats extends down the other side of the country through Andhra Pradesh into Northern Tamil Nadu. Of primary birding interest is the southern part of the Western Ghats and its forests, the center of distribution for 20 of India's endemic species and another 15 shared with Sri Lanka. Bird Life International has recognized the Western Ghats as one of the most important endemic bird areas in Asia. The endemic birds are largely resident, which makes it an excellent place to visit all-year round.

You could look out for the Nilgiri Pipit and Painted Bushquail on the grassy peaks of the Cardamom Hills, or admire the colourful Malabar Trogon and Nilgiri Laughing Thrush in the evergreen forests of Brahmagiri or scour the pools and beaches at Point Calimere for possible wintering Crab-plover and Spoon-billed Sandpiper. There is plenty to discover and one is never more than half a day away from a palm-fringed beach.

Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary

Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary is a famous heronry located on an island on the Kaveri River. It is an excellent site for astonishingly close views of species like the Eurasian Spoonbill and Black-crowned Night Heron, any time of the year. You also get a chance to compare all three species of cormorants commonly found in the subcontinent. Great Stone Plover and River Tern nest on rocky islets and are easy to see all year round. The large colony of Flying Foxes is impossible to overlook. North of Mysore, there's a good patch of dry grassland with scattered bushes and trees, where you can spot the White-eyed Buzzard, Tawny and Short-toed Eagles, Eurasian Wryneck, Rufous-tailed Lark, Indian Bushlark, Large Grey Babbler, Jungle Prinia, Blyth's and Tree Pipits and Indian Silverbill. Grey-necked Bunting has also been spotted here.

Nagarahole

The park is characterized by moist mixed-deciduous forest in its northern and western fringes, dry thorn forest in the east and dry deciduous in the southeast. Such geographical variety gives Nagarahole an equally wide spectrum of birds, which includes Malabar Pied Hornbill, Green Imperial Pigeon, Spot-bellied Eagle Owl and the White-bellied Woodpecker, which is usually hard to find. One of the best-maintained parks in India, Nagarahole offers great sighting opportunities as the area along the tracks has been cleared of vegetation. Birds come out to feed especially just after dawn and just before dusk. These are good places for Red Spurfowl, Grey Junglefowl and Blue-faced Malkhoa.

Mudumalai & Masinagudi

The Mudumalai Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, together with Bandipur and Nagarhole in Karnataka and Wynaad in Kerala, forms one of the largest tracts of protected forest in India. The avifauna is similar in all the reserves, but Mudumalai is the most accessible. Birding within the sanctuary is restricted but there are excellent opportunities around Masinagudi. The quiet eastern edge of the Mudumalai range is great for South Indian endemics such as the Malabar Parakeet, Grey-headed Bulbul and Malabar Whistling Thrush. To find the elusive Malabar Lark, a stop here is essential. You may encounter the threatened White-bellied Minivet and other interesting birds like Sirkeer Malkhoa, Indian Pitta and Booted Warbler on a jungle walk. Mudumalai is open all year round and is less affected by the southwest monsoon as most of the sanctuary lies in the rain-shadow of the Nilgiris.

Ooty

Nilgiris or The Blue Mountains are among the highest in South India and are home to some restricted endemic species like Nilgiri Wood Pigeon, Nilgiri Laughing Thrush, Nilgiri Flycatcher and White-bellied Shortwing, which inhabit the evergreen sholas. The word Shola comes from the Tamil 'solai', which refers to any verdant patch and the region is rich with rhododendrons, magnolias and orchids. Ooty is fantastic any time of the year, as the main species are resident, though migrants such as Kashmir Flycatcher and Tickell's Leaf Warbler are only present in winter. Other exotic species here include the Painted Bushquail, Black and Orange Flycatcher.

Top Slip (Annamalai)

Top Slip (740 m), located on the edge of the Kairan Shola, is an outstanding patch of rainforest that harbours a good number of South Indian endemic birds such as the Sri Lankan Frogmouth, Wynaad Laughing Thrush and Black-throated Munia. Look out for Malabar Trogon, White-bellied Woodpecker, Heart-spotted Woodpecker, Indian Pitta, White-bellied Treepie, Hill Mynah and Little Spiderhunter.

Munner

Nilgiris or The Blue Mountains are among the highest in South India and are home to some restricted endemic species like Nilgiri Wood Pigeon, Nilgiri Laughing Thrush, Nilgiri Flycatcher and White-bellied Shortwing, which inhabit the evergreen sholas. The word Shola comes from the Tamil 'solai', which refers to any verdant patch and the region is rich with rhododendrons, magnolias and orchids. Ooty is fantastic any time of the year, as the main species are resident, though migrants such as Kashmir Flycatcher and Tickell's Leaf Warbler are only present in winter. Other exotic species here include the Painted Bushquail, Black and Orange Flycatcher.

Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary

Top Slip (740 m), located on the edge of the Kairan Shola, is an outstanding patch of rainforest that harbours a good number of South Indian endemic birds such as the Sri Lankan Frogmouth, Wynaad Laughing Thrush and Black-throated Munia. Look out for Malabar Trogon, White-bellied Woodpecker, Heart-spotted Woodpecker, Indian Pitta, White-bellied Treepie, Hill Mynah and Little Spiderhunter.

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