Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary

Location - Kavanattinkara, Kumarakom, Kerala
Best time to visit - November to February and June to August
How to reach:-
Train - Kottayam Railway Station (16.7 km)
Flight - Cochin International Airport (76.5 km)

The Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary is a favourite birdwatching haven n Kerala, spread over an area of 14 hectares at the bank of Vembanad Lake. The sanctuary is home to several species of migratory birds, mostly from the Himalayas and Siberia. Administered by the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation, previously the sanctuary was established as a rubber plantation by George Alfred Baker and was earlier known as Baker’s Estate. Baker planted mangrove trees that invited several bird species and demarcate the region their permanent abode. History also has it that the descendants of George Alfred Baker developed the bird sanctuary and eventually bloomed to be a significant tourist destination.

The months of June and August are the breeding season of the birds in the sanctuary. A boat ride in the Vembanad Lake adds fun to the visit to Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary. A visit to the butterfly garden and climbing the observatory tower are the other activities to get engrossed in the bird sanctuary. Involving in all the activities here will undoubtedly serve with an exceptional experience on the Kerala trip.

Avi-fauna - Permanent and local birds include waterfowl, herons, owls, woodpeckers, cranes, parrots, moorhens, ducks, cuckoos, cattle egrets, water hens, skylarks, little cormorants, darters, Northern Pintail Ducks, Indian Shangs, Purple Moorhens, etc. Migratory birds include various species of herons, Brahminy kites, Marsh Harriers, flycatchers, Steppe Eagle, black-tailed Godwit, Siberian cranes, bitterns, teals, The Booted Eagle, Rufous-backed Shrike, etc.