India Ramsar wetland
Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary
234 bird species recorded; the most from October to January.
Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 by EOX IT Services GmbH (contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data), CC BY 4.0, with relief shading from Copernicus WorldDEM-30
This month here
190 species in January.182 species in February.123 species in March.94 species in April.63 species in May.60 species in June.82 species in July.105 species in August.139 species in September.200 species in October.192 species in November.198 species in December.
The birds you are most likely to see in the month you choose, those that come for the season first. It opens on today's month.
NT
NT
NT
NT
NT
NT
NTNT
VU
NT
NTNT- Resident all year
- Summer visitor comes to breed
- Winter visitor comes for the winter
- Passage migrant in spring and autumn
In numbers
234 species, counted.
Our own rating, from the records only: species (50 points), threatened species (20), migrants (20) and protected status — Ramsar, IBA, SPA, observatory (10).
- 234Speciesrecorded more than once
- 122Migrantssummer, winter or passage visitors
- 5ThreatenedVulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered (IUCN)
- 52,854Recordsopen records within 6 km
- 20Raptors
- 4Owls
- 44Waders
- 17Gulls & seabirds
- 12Ducks & geese
- 19Herons, ibises & grebes
- 4Storks & cranes
- 2Flamingos
- 75Songbirds
- 37Other birds
From open records (eBird and others, through GBIF, licensed for any use). More birdwatchers mean more records: a quiet place may have more birds than it shows.
The checklist
All 234 species.
By group, with the year in twelve cells: the darker the cell, the more often the bird is recorded that month.
Raptors20 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Brahminy KiteHaliastur indus
- Black KiteMilvus migrans
- Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus
- Black-winged KiteElanus caeruleus
- Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinus
- Booted eagleHieraaetus pennatus
- Western Marsh HarrierCircus aeruginosus
- Crested Honey BuzzardPernis ptilorhynchus
- White-bellied Sea-EagleHaliaeetus leucogaster
- Pallid HarrierCircus macrourusNT
- OspreyPandion haliaetus
- Montagu's HarrierCircus pygargus
- Black BazaAviceda leuphotes
- Red-headed FalconFalco chicqueraNT
- Short-toed eagleCircaetus gallicus
- Amur FalconFalco amurensis
- Indian spotted eagleAquila hastata
- Bonelli's EagleAquila fasciata
- Greater spotted eagleAquila clanga
- White-eyed BuzzardButastur teesa
Owls4 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Spotted OwletAthene brama
- Indian Scops OwlOtus bakkamoena
- Eastern Barn OwlTyto javanica
- Short-eared OwlAsio flammeus
Waders44 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquataNT
- Little StintCalidris minuta
- Wood SandpiperTringa glareola
- RedshankTringa totanus
- Kentish PloverCharadrius alexandrinus
- Marsh SandpiperTringa stagnatilis
- Common GreenshankTringa nebularia
- Red-wattled LapwingVanellus indicus
- Black-winged StiltHimantopus himantopus
- Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos
- Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaNT
- Temminck's StintCalidris temminckii
- Pacific Golden PloverPluvialis fulva
- Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferrugineaVU
- Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaVU
- Eurasian WhimbrelNumenius phaeopus
- Green SandpiperTringa ochropus
- Terek SandpiperXenus cinereus
- Broad-billed SandpiperCalidris falcinellusVU
- Bar-tailed godwitLimosa lapponicaNT
- RuffCalidris pugnax
- Greater Sand PloverCharadrius leschenaultii
- Great KnotCalidris tenuirostris
- SanderlingCalidris alba
- Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresNT
- Oriental PratincoleGlareola maldivarum
- DunlinCalidris alpinaNT
- Pin-tailed SnipeGallinago stenura
- Red-necked PhalaropePhalaropus lobatus
- Spotted RedshankTringa erythropus
- Common SnipeGallinago gallinago
- Yellow-wattled LapwingVanellus malabaricus
- Red KnotCalidris canutusNT
- Indian Thick-kneeBurhinus indicus
- Pied AvocetRecurvirostra avosetta
- Greater Painted-snipeRostratula benghalensis
- Long-toed StintCalidris subminuta
- Grey-headed LapwingVanellus cinereus
- Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusNT
- Pheasant-tailed JacanaHydrophasianus chirurgus
- Asian DowitcherLimnodromus semipalmatusNT
- Common Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula
- Little PratincoleGlareola lactea
- Collared PratincoleGlareola pratincola
Gulls & seabirds17 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Whiskered TernChlidonias hybrida
- Gull-billed TernGelochelidon nilotica
- Caspian TernHydroprogne caspia
- Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
- Brown-headed GullChroicocephalus brunnicephalus
- Little TernSternula albifrons
- Great Crested-TernThalasseus bergii
- Common TernSterna hirundo
- Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
- Lesser Crested TernThalasseus bengalensis
- Pallas's GullIchthyaetus ichthyaetus
- Slender-billed GullChroicocephalus genei
- White-winged TernChlidonias leucopterus
- Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis
- River TernSterna aurantiaVU
- Indian SkimmerRynchops albicollis
- Lesser FrigatebirdFregata ariel
Ducks & geese12 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Northern PintailAnas acuta
- Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata
- Eurasian WigeonMareca penelope
- GarganeySpatula querquedula
- Anas poecilorhynchaAnas poecilorhyncha
- Lesser Whistling DuckDendrocygna javanica
- Bar-headed GooseAnser indicus
- Eurasian TealAnas crecca
- Knob-billed DuckSarkidiornis melanotos
- Ruddy ShelduckTadorna ferruginea
- Common PochardAythya ferinaVU
- Fulvous Whistling-duckDendrocygna bicolor
Herons, ibises & grebes19 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Little EgretEgretta garzetta
- Indian Pond-HeronArdeola grayii
- Great White EgretArdea alba
- Grey PelicanPelecanus philippensisNT
- Egretta intermediaEgretta intermedia
- Little CormorantMicrocarbo niger
- Eurasian SpoonbillPlatalea leucorodia
- Grey HeronArdea cinerea
- Black-necked IbisThreskiornis melanocephalus
- Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellus
- Western Reef HeronEgretta gularis
- Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis
- Black-crowned Night-HeronNycticorax nycticorax
- Indian CormorantPhalacrocorax fuscicollis
- Oriental DarterAnhinga melanogaster
- Purple heronArdea purpurea
- Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
- Striated HeronButorides striata
- Red-naped IbisPseudibis papillosa
Storks & cranes4 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Painted StorkMycteria leucocephala
- Asian Open-bill StorkAnastomus oscitans
- Black storkCiconia nigra
- Asian WoollyneckCiconia episcopusNT
Flamingos2 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Greater FlamingoPhoenicopterus roseus
- Lesser FlamingoPhoeniconaias minorNT
Songbirds75 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Common MynaAcridotheres tristis
- House CrowCorvus splendens
- Large-billed CrowCorvus macrorhynchos
- Black DrongoDicrurus macrocercus
- Red-vented BulbulPycnonotus cafer
- Yellow-billed BabblerTurdoides affinis
- Barn swallowHirundo rustica
- Rufous TreepieDendrocitta vagabunda
- Brown ShrikeLanius cristatus
- Brahminy StarlingSturnia pagodarum
- Blyth’s Reed WarblerAcrocephalus dumetorum
- Paddyfield PipitAnthus rufulus
- Rosy StarlingPastor roseus
- Indian Paradise FlycatcherTerpsiphone paradisi
- Common TailorbirdOrthotomus sutorius
- White-browed BulbulPycnonotus luteolus
- Purple-rumped SunbirdLeptocoma zeylonica
- White-browed WagtailMotacilla maderaspatensis
- Oriental Magpie-robinCopsychus saularis
- Oriolus kundooOriolus kundoo
- Oriental SkylarkAlauda gulgula
- Ashy PriniaPrinia socialis
- Indian PittaPitta brachyura
- Purple SunbirdCinnyris asiaticus
- Ashy-crowned Sparrow-LarkEremopterix griseus
- Common IoraAegithina tiphia
- Forest WagtailDendronanthus indicus
- Lesser whitethroatSylvia curruca
- Brown-breasted FlycatcherMuscicapa muttui
- Zitting CisticolaCisticola juncidis
- Muscicapa latirostrisMuscicapa latirostris
- Black-headed MuniaLonchura malacca
- Blue-throated Blue FlycatcherCyornis rubeculoides
- Loten's SunbirdCinnyris lotenius
- Booted WarblerIduna caligata
- Ashy Wood SwallowArtamus fuscus
- Richard's PipitAnthus richardi
- Pale-billed FlowerpeckerDicaeum erythrorhynchos
- Greenish WarblerPhylloscopus trochiloides
- Blyth’s PipitAnthus godlewskii
- Bay-backed ShrikeLanius vittatus
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- Plain PriniaPrinia inornata
- Western Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava
- Eastern Red-rumped SwallowCecropis daurica
- Common WoodshrikeTephrodornis pondicerianus
- Orange-headed ThrushGeokichla citrina
- Large-billed Leaf-warblerPhylloscopus magnirostris
- Black-headed Cuckoo-shrikeCoracina melanoptera
- Lanius schachLanius schach
- Red-whiskered BulbulPycnonotus jocosus
- Chestnut-tailed StarlingSturnia malabarica
- Indian SilverbillEuodice malabarica
- Jungle PriniaPrinia sylvatica
- Indian RobinSaxicoloides fulicatus
- Spice FinchLonchura punctulata
- Dicrurus leucophaeusDicrurus leucophaeus
- White-rumped MuniaLonchura striata
- Dusky Crag MartinPtyonoprogne concolor
- Greater Short-toed LarkCalandrella brachydactyla
- Wire-tailed SwallowHirundo smithii
- Tawny PipitAnthus campestris
- Pied Bush ChatSaxicola caprata
- Yellow-throated SparrowGymnoris xanthocollis
- Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
- Baya WeaverPloceus philippinus
- Clamorous Reed WarblerAcrocephalus stentoreus
- Pied ThrushGeokichla wardii
- Phylloscopus nitidusPhylloscopus nitidus
- Small MinivetPericrocotus cinnamomeus
- Citrine WagtailMotacilla citreola
- Tickell's ThrushTurdus unicolor
- Puff-throated BabblerPellorneum ruficeps
- Large Grey BabblerTurdoides malcolmi
- Rufous-tailed LarkAmmomanes phoenicuraNT
Other birds37 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Blue-tailed Bee-eaterMerops philippinus
- White-breasted KingfisherHalcyon smyrnensis
- Eastern Spotted DoveSpilopelia chinensis
- Asian Green Bee-eaterMerops orientalis
- Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
- Indian PeafowlPavo cristatus
- Asian Palm-swiftCypsiurus balasiensis
- Ortygornis pondicerianusOrtygornis pondicerianus
- Common KoelEudynamys scolopaceus
- Greater CoucalCentropus sinensis
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- Pied KingfisherCeryle rudis
- Jacobin CuckooClamator jacobinus
- Rose-ringed ParakeetPsittacula krameri
- Rhopodytes viridirostrisRhopodytes viridirostris
- Common KingfisherAlcedo atthis
- White-breasted WaterhenAmaurornis phoenicurus
- Cuculus variusCuculus varius
- Grey-bellied CuckooCacomantis passerinus
- Eurasian HoopoeUpupa epops
- Indian RollerCoracias benghalensisNT
- CootFulica atra
- Chestnut-winged CuckooClamator coromandus
- Laughing DoveSpilopelia senegalensis
- Little SwiftApus affinis
- Black-rumped FlamebackDinopium benghalense
- Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus
- Red Collared DoveStreptopelia tranquebarica
- Coppersmith BarbetPsilopogon haemacephalus
- Lesser CuckooCuculus poliocephalus
- Western SwamphenPorphyrio porphyrio
- Indian NightjarCaprimulgus asiaticus
- Jungle Bush-QuailPerdicula asiatica
- WatercockGallicrex cinerea
- Orange-breasted Green-pigeonTreron bicinctus
- Slaty-breasted RailGallirallus striatus
- Blyth's SwiftApus leuconyx
Monthly presence relative to all bird records that month, so a busy month does not inflate every species.
When to go
The most species from October to January.
Species recorded in each month, with the usual temperature and rain.
- Jan27°/24°26 mm
- Feb28°/25°16 mm
- Mar30°/26°30 mm
- Apr31°/28°52 mm
- May32°/29°91 mm
- Jun32°/28°48 mm
- Jul32°/28°56 mm
- Aug31°/27°77 mm
- Sep30°/27°100 mm
- Oct30°/27°209 mm
- Nov28°/26°266 mm
- Dec27°/25°155 mm
- Bar: species recorded that month.
- Temperature: average maximum / minimum (NASA, 1991–2020).
- Rain: monthly total.
The place
Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary.
Wildlife sanctuary and RAMSAR Wetland site in Tamil Nadu, India
Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary is a wetland of international importance (Ramsar) in India.
234 bird species have been recorded here more than once, in 52,854 open records.
The most recorded are the Brahminy Kite, the Common Myna and the Little Egret.
16 species come for the summer, 98 for the winter and 8 only pass through.
5 are threatened worldwide, including Curlew Sandpiper, Grey Plover and Broad-billed Sandpiper.
The most species are recorded from October to January.
Get there and watch
- VMT Guest Houseplace to stay · 4.8 km · 1 within 10 km
- Vedaraniyamnearest town · 7.0 km in a straight line
- Jaffna International Airport (JAF)nearest airport with scheduled flights · 62 km in a straight lineCar hire at MAA airport (Chennai)Discover Cars · sponsored link↗
Plan the visit
A guided walk, a bed nearby, a car.
Some links above are affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what the data on this page says.
From above
The place and its surroundings.
The satellite image of the 6 × 6 km around the place, with the bird hides, towers and trails that OpenStreetMap shows.
Around, in OpenStreetMap
- 1places to stay within 10 kmVMT Guest House
- bird hides within 6 km
- observation towers within 6 km
- marked trails within 4 km
- visitor centres within 6 km
- viewpoints within 5 km
- car parks within 3 km
- restaurants and cafés within 3 km
- campsites within 10 km
Counted in OpenStreetMap, the map anyone can edit. A low number may just mean nobody has mapped it yet.
Other places nearby.
Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary
India
- 77Birdyas Score
- 234Species
- 122Migrants
- 5Threatened
Udayamarthandapuram Bird Sanctuary
India · 37 km
- 53Birdyas Score
- 151Species
- 45Migrants
- 1Threatened
Where these figures come from
| Name and type | Wikidata (Q5614058) · CC0 |
|---|---|
| Birds | 52,854 open bird records within 6 km (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY 4.0 only; mostly eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology) |
| See these records | gbif.org |
| Species | GBIF Backbone Taxonomy · CC BY 4.0; Wikidata (CC0); Wikimedia Commons |
| Altitude | Copernicus DEM GLO-30 · © DLR e.V., © Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, Copernicus/ESA |
| Temperature and rain | NASA POWER (CERES SYN1deg, 2001–2020; MERRA-2) |
| What is around | © OpenStreetMap contributors · ODbL |
| Images | EOX Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 · CC BY 4.0; Wikimedia Commons |
Every figure is an average, an estimate or a count from a public dataset. Licences and methods: data sources.
The family
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