India bird sanctuary
Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary
200 bird species recorded; the most from December to February.
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
158 species in January.165 species in February.137 species in March.131 species in April.70 species in May.84 species in June.73 species in July.96 species in August.94 species in September.121 species in October.138 species in November.158 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.
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NTNTNTNTNTNT- Resident all year
- Summer visitor comes to breed
- Winter visitor comes for the winter
- Passage migrant in spring and autumn
In numbers
200 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).
- 200Speciesrecorded more than once
- 86Migrantssummer, winter or passage visitors
- 2ThreatenedVulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered (IUCN)
- 21,459Recordsopen records within 4 km
- 17Raptors
- 3Owls
- 23Waders
- 6Gulls & seabirds
- 12Ducks & geese
- 18Herons, ibises & grebes
- 4Storks & cranes
- 1Flamingos
- 83Songbirds
- 33Other 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 200 species.
By group, with the year in twelve cells: the darker the cell, the more often the bird is recorded that month.
Raptors17 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Western Marsh HarrierCircus aeruginosus
- Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus
- Black-winged KiteElanus caeruleus
- Montagu's HarrierCircus pygargus
- Black KiteMilvus migrans
- Pallid HarrierCircus macrourusNT
- White-eyed BuzzardButastur teesa
- Short-toed eagleCircaetus gallicus
- Brahminy KiteHaliastur indus
- Booted eagleHieraaetus pennatus
- Eastern Marsh-harrierCircus spilonotus
- Pied HarrierCircus melanoleucos
- Red-headed FalconFalco chicqueraNT
- Crested Honey BuzzardPernis ptilorhynchus
- Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinus
- OspreyPandion haliaetus
- Greater spotted eagleAquila clanga
Owls3 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Spotted OwletAthene brama
- Eastern Barn OwlTyto javanica
- Indian Scops OwlOtus bakkamoena
Waders23 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Red-wattled LapwingVanellus indicus
- Wood SandpiperTringa glareola
- Black-winged StiltHimantopus himantopus
- Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos
- Yellow-wattled LapwingVanellus malabaricus
- Pheasant-tailed JacanaHydrophasianus chirurgus
- Bronze-winged JacanaMetopidius indicus
- Green SandpiperTringa ochropus
- Marsh SandpiperTringa stagnatilis
- Common SnipeGallinago gallinago
- Oriental PratincoleGlareola maldivarum
- Little StintCalidris minuta
- Pacific Golden PloverPluvialis fulva
- Indian Thick-kneeBurhinus indicus
- Common GreenshankTringa nebularia
- Pin-tailed SnipeGallinago stenura
- Grey-headed LapwingVanellus cinereus
- Kentish PloverCharadrius alexandrinus
- Indian CourserCursorius coromandelicusNT
- RedshankTringa totanus
- Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaNT
- Temminck's StintCalidris temminckii
- Little PratincoleGlareola lactea
Gulls & seabirds6 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Whiskered TernChlidonias hybrida
- River TernSterna aurantiaVU
- Gull-billed TernGelochelidon nilotica
- Little TernSternula albifrons
- Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
- Common TernSterna hirundo
Ducks & geese12 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Anas poecilorhynchaAnas poecilorhyncha
- Northern PintailAnas acuta
- Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata
- GarganeySpatula querquedula
- Lesser Whistling DuckDendrocygna javanica
- Fulvous Whistling-duckDendrocygna bicolor
- Eurasian WigeonMareca penelope
- Eurasian TealAnas crecca
- Cotton Pygmy GooseNettapus coromandelianus
- Common PochardAythya ferinaVU
- Knob-billed DuckSarkidiornis melanotos
- Bar-headed GooseAnser indicus
Herons, ibises & grebes18 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Indian Pond-HeronArdeola grayii
- Grey HeronArdea cinerea
- Little CormorantMicrocarbo niger
- Black-necked IbisThreskiornis melanocephalus
- Grey PelicanPelecanus philippensisNT
- Oriental DarterAnhinga melanogaster
- Little EgretEgretta garzetta
- Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellus
- Eurasian SpoonbillPlatalea leucorodia
- Black-crowned Night-HeronNycticorax nycticorax
- Indian CormorantPhalacrocorax fuscicollis
- Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis
- Egretta intermediaEgretta intermedia
- Great White EgretArdea alba
- Purple heronArdea purpurea
- Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
- Striated HeronButorides striata
- Red-naped IbisPseudibis papillosa
Storks & cranes4 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Asian Open-bill StorkAnastomus oscitans
- Painted StorkMycteria leucocephala
- White StorkCiconia ciconia
- Asian WoollyneckCiconia episcopusNT
Flamingos1 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Greater FlamingoPhoenicopterus roseus
Songbirds83 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Black DrongoDicrurus macrocercus
- Common MynaAcridotheres tristis
- House CrowCorvus splendens
- Yellow-billed BabblerTurdoides affinis
- Large-billed CrowCorvus macrorhynchos
- Red-vented BulbulPycnonotus cafer
- Rufous TreepieDendrocitta vagabunda
- Oriolus kundooOriolus kundoo
- Common TailorbirdOrthotomus sutorius
- Purple SunbirdCinnyris asiaticus
- Purple-rumped SunbirdLeptocoma zeylonica
- Barn swallowHirundo rustica
- Pied Bush ChatSaxicola caprata
- Oriental Magpie-robinCopsychus saularis
- Plain PriniaPrinia inornata
- Paddyfield PipitAnthus rufulus
- Ashy PriniaPrinia socialis
- Blyth’s Reed WarblerAcrocephalus dumetorum
- White-browed WagtailMotacilla maderaspatensis
- White-browed BulbulPycnonotus luteolus
- Indian RobinSaxicoloides fulicatus
- Zitting CisticolaCisticola juncidis
- Red-whiskered BulbulPycnonotus jocosus
- Brahminy StarlingSturnia pagodarum
- Ashy-crowned Sparrow-LarkEremopterix griseus
- Baya WeaverPloceus philippinus
- Oriental SkylarkAlauda gulgula
- Spice FinchLonchura punctulata
- Common IoraAegithina tiphia
- Common WoodshrikeTephrodornis pondicerianus
- Black-headed MuniaLonchura malacca
- Ashy Wood SwallowArtamus fuscus
- Eastern Red-rumped SwallowCecropis daurica
- Indian Paradise FlycatcherTerpsiphone paradisi
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- Brown ShrikeLanius cristatus
- Loten's SunbirdCinnyris lotenius
- Bay-backed ShrikeLanius vittatus
- Indian SilverbillEuodice malabarica
- Siberian stonechatSaxicola maurus
- Dicrurus leucophaeusDicrurus leucophaeus
- Large Grey BabblerTurdoides malcolmi
- Red AvadavatAmandava amandava
- Western Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava
- Jungle PriniaPrinia sylvatica
- Indian PittaPitta brachyura
- Rosy StarlingPastor roseus
- Black-headed Cuckoo-shrikeCoracina melanoptera
- Pale-billed FlowerpeckerDicaeum erythrorhynchos
- White-rumped MuniaLonchura striata
- Greenish WarblerPhylloscopus trochiloides
- Rufous-tailed LarkAmmomanes phoenicuraNT
- Blyth’s PipitAnthus godlewskii
- Grey-breasted PriniaPrinia hodgsonii
- Muscicapa latirostrisMuscicapa latirostris
- Orange-headed ThrushGeokichla citrina
- Tawny PipitAnthus campestris
- Yellow-throated SparrowGymnoris xanthocollis
- Chestnut-tailed StarlingSturnia malabarica
- Small MinivetPericrocotus cinnamomeus
- Lanius schachLanius schach
- Paddyfield WarblerAcrocephalus agricola
- Booted WarblerIduna caligata
- Tawny-bellied babblerDumetia hyperythra
- Streaked WeaverPloceus manyar
- Clamorous Reed WarblerAcrocephalus stentoreus
- Black-hooded OrioleOriolus xanthornus
- Richard's PipitAnthus richardi
- Blue Rock ThrushMonticola solitarius
- Blue-throated Blue FlycatcherCyornis rubeculoides
- Oriolus chinensisOriolus chinensis
- Large CuckooshrikeCoracina macei
- Tree PipitAnthus trivialis
- Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
- Singing BushlarkMirafra javanica
- Lesser whitethroatSylvia curruca
- Black-breasted WeaverPloceus benghalensis
- Wire-tailed SwallowHirundo smithii
- Yellow-eyed BabblerChrysomma sinense
- Dusky Crag MartinPtyonoprogne concolor
- Eastern Orphean WarblerSylvia crassirostris
- Phylloscopus nitidusPhylloscopus nitidus
- White WagtailMotacilla alba
Other birds33 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- White-breasted KingfisherHalcyon smyrnensis
- Rose-ringed ParakeetPsittacula krameri
- Indian RollerCoracias benghalensisNT
- Greater CoucalCentropus sinensis
- Asian Palm-swiftCypsiurus balasiensis
- Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus
- Common KoelEudynamys scolopaceus
- Blue-tailed Bee-eaterMerops philippinus
- CootFulica atra
- Asian Green Bee-eaterMerops orientalis
- Ortygornis pondicerianusOrtygornis pondicerianus
- Eastern Spotted DoveSpilopelia chinensis
- White-breasted WaterhenAmaurornis phoenicurus
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- Coppersmith BarbetPsilopogon haemacephalus
- Cuculus variusCuculus varius
- Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
- Common KingfisherAlcedo atthis
- Pied KingfisherCeryle rudis
- Black-rumped FlamebackDinopium benghalense
- Jacobin CuckooClamator jacobinus
- Western SwamphenPorphyrio porphyrio
- Eurasian HoopoeUpupa epops
- Laughing DoveSpilopelia senegalensis
- Indian PeafowlPavo cristatus
- Rhopodytes viridirostrisRhopodytes viridirostris
- Little SwiftApus affinis
- Grey-bellied CuckooCacomantis passerinus
- Barred ButtonquailTurnix suscitator
- WatercockGallicrex cinerea
- Rain QuailCoturnix coromandelica
- Red Collared DoveStreptopelia tranquebarica
- Indian NightjarCaprimulgus asiaticus
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 December to February.
Species recorded in each month, with the usual temperature and rain.
- Jan28°/21°18 mm
- Feb29°/22°7 mm
- Mar32°/24°16 mm
- Apr34°/26°28 mm
- May35°/28°62 mm
- Jun34°/27°65 mm
- Jul33°/26°97 mm
- Aug32°/26°126 mm
- Sep31°/26°140 mm
- Oct30°/25°255 mm
- Nov28°/24°293 mm
- Dec27°/22°133 mm
- Bar: species recorded that month.
- Temperature: average maximum / minimum (NASA, 1991–2020).
- Rain: monthly total.
The place
Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary.
Nature preserving sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, India
Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary is a bird sanctuary in India.
200 bird species have been recorded here more than once, in 21,459 open records.
The most recorded are the Indian Pond-Heron, the Asian Open-bill Stork and the Grey Heron.
16 species come for the summer, 70 for the winter and 0 only pass through.
2 are threatened worldwide, including River Tern and Common Pochard.
The most species are recorded from December to February.
Get there and watch
- Sri Ganapathi Nagarplace to stay · 6.7 km · 2 within 10 km
- Madurāntakamnearest town · 4.9 km in a straight line
- Chennai International Airport (MAA)nearest airport with scheduled flights · 60 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
- 2viewpoints within 5 km
- 2places to stay within 10 kmSri Ganapathi Nagar
- bird hides within 6 km
- observation towers within 6 km
- marked trails within 4 km
- visitor centres within 6 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.
In our other atlases
Around Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary.
The lakes, beaches, islands, rivers and mountains around this place, and its night sky, in the family's atlases.
Lakeyas1 lakes within 15 kmMaduranthakam lake6.3 km² · 3.5 km
Figures from the sister sites' databases (Wikidata, HydroATLAS, GeoNames, OpenStreetMap). Links open when each site is online.
Other places nearby.
Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary
India
- 66Birdyas Score
- 200Species
- 86Migrants
- 2Threatened
Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary
India · 249 km
- 77Birdyas Score
- 234Species
- 122Migrants
- 5Threatened
Where these figures come from
| Name and type | Wikidata (Q2253205) · CC0 |
|---|---|
| Birds | 21,459 open bird records within 4 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 |
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?
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Every canyon cut to scale: depth to the floor, rim and floor temperatures, trails and viewpoints.Visit 
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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
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birdwatching
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forests
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