About Thattekkad

Thattekad Bird Sanctuary, also known as the Dr Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary in honour of the pre-eminent birder of all times in India, is located two hour’s drive from the port city of Kochi, near Kothamanagalam in Ernakulam district, on the northern bank of the Periyar river. The sanctuary was notified in 1983 based on a recommendation made by Dr. Salim Ali many years previously. He described Thattekkad in the 1930's as the richest bird habitat in peninsular India, comparable only with the Eastern Himalayas.  Much of the forest has now been converted to agricultural and plantation areas, but the surviving areas certainly give glimpses of the rich bird diversity of the once widespread lowland forests of Kerala. A trip through this sanctuary would certainly be a bonanza for any birder with its over 270 species in a relatively small area of 25 sq kms area. This is also home to most of the endemics of the Western Ghats. One should sight the Whitebellied Treepie, Rufous Babbler, Crimsonbacked Sunbird, White Bellied Blue Flycatcher, Wayanad Laughing Thrush, Malabar Parakeet, Malabar Grey Hornbill besides owls like the Mottled Wood Owl, Oriental Bay Owl, Oriental scopes owl, Brown Fish Owl, Oriental Scopes Owl and Spotbellied Eagle Owl. You should also be able to sight the Red Spurfowl, Grey Jungle Fowl, Indian Pitta, Black-throated Munia and the Grey headed fishing eagle.

Latitude       
76 deg 40' - 76 deg 45' N
Longitude 
10 deg 7' - 11 deg E
Altitude  
35- 523 m (Njayapilli peak)
Area          
25.16 sq. km
Rainfall 
2500 mm annually
Forest type
Tropical semi-evergreen and tropical deciduous
Mammals
Elephant, Leopard, Sloth Bear, Porcupine
Bird species
270. For bird list click here.

Panoramic View of Thattekkad Sanctuary