India Ramsar wetland
Sasthamcotta Lake
164 bird species recorded; the most from January to February.
Arunelectra · CC BY-SA 3.0
This month here
121 species in January.127 species in February.106 species in March.100 species in April.78 species in May.74 species in June.78 species in July.82 species in August.92 species in September.95 species in October.98 species in November.111 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.
- Resident all year
- Summer visitor comes to breed
- Winter visitor comes for the winter
- Passage migrant in spring and autumn
In numbers
164 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).
- 164Speciesrecorded more than once
- 56Migrantssummer, winter or passage visitors
- 0ThreatenedVulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered (IUCN)
- 25,135Recordsopen records within 6 km
- 6Raptors
- 4Owls
- 16Waders
- 6Gulls & seabirds
- 6Ducks & geese
- 17Herons, ibises & grebes
- 3Storks & cranes
- 65Songbirds
- 41Other 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 164 species.
By group, with the year in twelve cells: the darker the cell, the more often the bird is recorded that month.
Raptors6 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Brahminy KiteHaliastur indus
- Black KiteMilvus migrans
- Booted eagleHieraaetus pennatus
- Crested Honey BuzzardPernis ptilorhynchus
- Western Marsh HarrierCircus aeruginosus
- Amur FalconFalco amurensis
Owls4 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Jungle OwletGlaucidium radiatum
- Indian Scops OwlOtus bakkamoena
- Spotted OwletAthene brama
- Brown BoobookNinox scutulata
Waders16 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Red-wattled LapwingVanellus indicus
- Bronze-winged JacanaMetopidius indicus
- Wood SandpiperTringa glareola
- Pheasant-tailed JacanaHydrophasianus chirurgus
- Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos
- Black-winged StiltHimantopus himantopus
- Common GreenshankTringa nebularia
- Pacific Golden PloverPluvialis fulva
- Marsh SandpiperTringa stagnatilis
- Green SandpiperTringa ochropus
- Common SnipeGallinago gallinago
- Greater Painted-snipeRostratula benghalensis
- Yellow-wattled LapwingVanellus malabaricus
- Little StintCalidris minuta
- Pin-tailed SnipeGallinago stenura
- RedshankTringa totanus
Gulls & seabirds6 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Whiskered TernChlidonias hybrida
- Caspian TernHydroprogne caspia
- Little TernSternula albifrons
- Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
- Gull-billed TernGelochelidon nilotica
- Common TernSterna hirundo
Ducks & geese6 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Lesser Whistling DuckDendrocygna javanica
- Cotton Pygmy GooseNettapus coromandelianus
- Anas poecilorhynchaAnas poecilorhyncha
- Northern PintailAnas acuta
- GarganeySpatula querquedula
- Knob-billed DuckSarkidiornis melanotos
Herons, ibises & grebes17 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Indian Pond-HeronArdeola grayii
- Little CormorantMicrocarbo niger
- Little EgretEgretta garzetta
- Purple heronArdea purpurea
- Egretta intermediaEgretta intermedia
- Black-necked IbisThreskiornis melanocephalus
- Great White EgretArdea alba
- Oriental DarterAnhinga melanogaster
- Indian CormorantPhalacrocorax fuscicollis
- Grey HeronArdea cinerea
- Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis
- Black-crowned Night-HeronNycticorax nycticorax
- Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellus
- Striated HeronButorides striata
- Eurasian SpoonbillPlatalea leucorodia
- Western Reef HeronEgretta gularis
- Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
Storks & cranes3 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Asian Open-bill StorkAnastomus oscitans
- Painted StorkMycteria leucocephala
- Asian WoollyneckCiconia episcopusNT
Songbirds65 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- House CrowCorvus splendens
- Common MynaAcridotheres tristis
- Black DrongoDicrurus macrocercus
- Rufous TreepieDendrocitta vagabunda
- Common TailorbirdOrthotomus sutorius
- Red-whiskered BulbulPycnonotus jocosus
- Large-billed CrowCorvus macrorhynchos
- Jungle babblerTurdoides striata
- Oriental Magpie-robinCopsychus saularis
- Black-hooded OrioleOriolus xanthornus
- Purple-rumped SunbirdLeptocoma zeylonica
- Ashy PriniaPrinia socialis
- Barn swallowHirundo rustica
- Red-vented BulbulPycnonotus cafer
- Ashy Wood SwallowArtamus fuscus
- Pale-billed FlowerpeckerDicaeum erythrorhynchos
- Plain PriniaPrinia inornata
- Blyth’s Reed WarblerAcrocephalus dumetorum
- Oriolus kundooOriolus kundoo
- Jungle MynaAcridotheres fuscus
- Zitting CisticolaCisticola juncidis
- Brown ShrikeLanius cristatus
- Loten's SunbirdCinnyris lotenius
- Clamorous Reed WarblerAcrocephalus stentoreus
- Indian Paradise FlycatcherTerpsiphone paradisi
- White-rumped MuniaLonchura striata
- Paddyfield PipitAnthus rufulus
- Black-headed MuniaLonchura malacca
- Yellow-billed BabblerTurdoides affinis
- Rosy StarlingPastor roseus
- Eastern Red-rumped SwallowCecropis daurica
- Baya WeaverPloceus philippinus
- Malabar StarlingSturnia blythii
- Purple SunbirdCinnyris asiaticus
- Greater Racket-tailed DrongoDicrurus paradiseus
- Common IoraAegithina tiphia
- Dicrurus leucophaeusDicrurus leucophaeus
- Western Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava
- Spice FinchLonchura punctulata
- Chestnut-tailed StarlingSturnia malabarica
- Oriental SkylarkAlauda gulgula
- Phylloscopus nitidusPhylloscopus nitidus
- Yellow-throated SparrowGymnoris xanthocollis
- Greenish WarblerPhylloscopus trochiloides
- Bronzed DrongoDicrurus aeneus
- Streak-throated SwallowPetrochelidon fluvicola
- Black-throated MuniaLonchura kelaarti
- White-browed WagtailMotacilla maderaspatensis
- Lanius schachLanius schach
- Streaked WeaverPloceus manyar
- Indian PittaPitta brachyura
- Muscicapa latirostrisMuscicapa latirostris
- Oriolus chinensisOriolus chinensis
- Common WoodshrikeTephrodornis pondicerianus
- Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
- Eastern Yellow WagtailMotacilla tschutschensis
- Grey-breasted PriniaPrinia hodgsonii
- Bay-backed ShrikeLanius vittatus
- Paddyfield WarblerAcrocephalus agricola
- Richard's PipitAnthus richardi
- Malabar LarkGalerida malabarica
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- Siberian stonechatSaxicola maurus
- Brahminy StarlingSturnia pagodarum
- Cinereous TitParus cinereus
Other birds41 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- White-breasted KingfisherHalcyon smyrnensis
- White-cheeked BarbetPsilopogon viridis
- White-breasted WaterhenAmaurornis phoenicurus
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- Western SwamphenPorphyrio porphyrio
- Common KoelEudynamys scolopaceus
- Blue-tailed Bee-eaterMerops philippinus
- Greater CoucalCentropus sinensis
- Asian Green Bee-eaterMerops orientalis
- Eastern Spotted DoveSpilopelia chinensis
- Black-rumped FlamebackDinopium benghalense
- Rose-ringed ParakeetPsittacula krameri
- Common KingfisherAlcedo atthis
- Stork-billed KingfisherPelargopsis capensis
- Pied KingfisherCeryle rudis
- Asian Palm-swiftCypsiurus balasiensis
- Indian RollerCoracias benghalensisNT
- Plum-headed ParakeetPsittacula cyanocephala
- Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus
- CootFulica atra
- WatercockGallicrex cinerea
- Indian PeafowlPavo cristatus
- Cuculus variusCuculus varius
- Indian SwiftletAerodramus unicolor
- Little SwiftApus affinis
- Rufous WoodpeckerMicropternus brachyurus
- Chestnut-headed Bee-eaterMerops leschenaulti
- Malabar flamebackChrysocolaptes socialis
- Grey-bellied CuckooCacomantis passerinus
- Jacobin CuckooClamator jacobinus
- Alexandrine ParakeetPsittacula eupatria
- Common Emerald DoveChalcophaps indica
- Ruddy-breasted CrakePorzana fusca
- Yellow-footed Green-pigeonTreron phoenicopterus
- Coppersmith BarbetPsilopogon haemacephalus
- Brown-backed NeedletailHirundapus giganteus
- Alpine SwiftTachymarptis melba
- Vernal Hanging-ParrotLoriculus vernalis
- Red Collared DoveStreptopelia tranquebarica
- Eurasian HoopoeUpupa epops
- Indian CuckooCuculus micropterus
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 January to February.
Species recorded in each month, with the usual temperature and rain.
- Jan30°/20°15 mm
- Feb33°/21°25 mm
- Mar34°/23°60 mm
- Apr32°/24°130 mm
- May30°/24°233 mm
- Jun28°/24°302 mm
- Jul27°/23°244 mm
- Aug27°/23°210 mm
- Sep27°/23°233 mm
- Oct28°/23°327 mm
- Nov28°/22°218 mm
- Dec28°/20°55 mm
- Bar: species recorded that month.
- Temperature: average maximum / minimum (NASA, 1991–2020).
- Rain: monthly total.
The place
Sasthamcotta Lake.
Lake in Kerala, India
Sasthamcotta Lake is a wetland of international importance (Ramsar) in India.
164 bird species have been recorded here more than once, in 25,135 open records.
The most recorded are the Brahminy Kite, the Indian Pond-Heron and the House Crow.
10 species come for the summer, 43 for the winter and 3 only pass through.
The most species are recorded from January to February.
Get there and watch
- Panchayat stadiumcampsite · 9.0 km · 10 within 10 km
- Akshayaplace to stay · 2.9 km · 135 within 10 km
- Thodiyoornearest town · 7.8 km in a straight line
- Thiruvananthapuram International Airport (TRV)nearest airport with scheduled flights · 69 km in a straight lineCar hire at COK airport (Kochi)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
- 3viewpoints within 5 km
- 1car parks within 3 km
- 15restaurants and cafés within 3 km
- 10campsites within 10 kmPanchayat stadium, Soubgya activity group, Surya haritha karma sena and 7 more
- 135places to stay within 10 kmAkshaya, udaya hotel, kurippu hotel and 132 more
- bird hides within 6 km
- observation towers within 6 km
- marked trails within 4 km
- visitor centres within 6 km
Counted in OpenStreetMap, the map anyone can edit. A low number may just mean nobody has mapped it yet.
In our other atlases
Around Sasthamcotta Lake.
The lakes, beaches, islands, rivers and mountains around this place, and its night sky, in the family's atlases.
Riveryasthe river nearbyKallada River121 km
Figures from the sister sites' databases (Wikidata, HydroATLAS, GeoNames, OpenStreetMap). Links open when each site is online.
Photographs
The place, as people saw it.
Other places nearby.
Sasthamcotta Lake
India
- 55Birdyas Score
- 164Species
- 56Migrants
- 0Threatened
Where these figures come from
| Name and type | Wikidata (Q75254) · CC0 |
|---|---|
| Birds | 25,135 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 |
| Sister atlases | Lakeyas, Riveryas |
Every figure is an average, an estimate or a count from a public dataset. Licences and methods: data sources.
The family
Do you prefer beaches, lakes, mountains, waterfalls, islands, rivers, canyons, caves, dark skies, viewpoints, birdwatching or forests?
Same idea, other landscapes: field atlases built on open data, in seven languages.
beaches
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lakes
Every lake on Earth: water temperature, ice, depth and the shore.Visit 
mountains
Every summit in 3D: summit weather, the 0 °C line, huts and trails.Visit 
waterfalls
Every waterfall: height, flow month by month and when it roars.Visit 
islands
Every island from the sea up: size, sea temperature, ferries and 3D.Visit rivers
Every river from source to sea: the journey, the flow and the basin in numbers.Visit 
canyons
Every canyon cut to scale: depth to the floor, rim and floor temperatures, trails and viewpoints.Visit 
caves
Every cave with its real depth and length: the rock above, the temperature inside all year, and how to visit.Visit 
dark skies
Where the night is still dark: the sky of every place, the Milky Way month by month, the Moon, eclipses and auroras.Visit 
viewpoints
Every viewpoint with its real 360° panorama: the peaks you can name, how far you see and where the sun sets.Coming soonVisit 
birdwatching
Every bird sanctuary and wetland with the species recorded month by month: who is resident, who comes for the summer, who only passes through.You are here
forests
Every forest with its land-cover rings, what grows and lives in it, and the best months to walk it.Coming soonVisit