Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary

Ranganathittu is a bird sanctuary that can be visited throughout the year by bird lovers. Easily accessible from Bangalore, enroute to Mysore, visiting this place is a great option for both children and adults.

Visitors experience the excitement of a boat ride that takes them within touching distance of the birds as marsh crocodiles bask in the sun. It’s a delight watching the winged visitors making happy forays into the water. November heralds in the winter migrants who stay put until March, adding to the already numerous varieties of birds one can see here.

Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary is about 40 acres and comprises six islets on the banks of the Kaveri river. Ranganathittu is located three kilometers away from the historic town of Srirangapatna and 16 kilometres north of Mysore.

The process of the formation of this sanctuary started in 1648, culminating with the noted ornithologist Dr. Salim Ali observing that the isles there formed an important nesting ground for birds, and persuaded the Wodeyar kings of Mysore to declare the area a wildlife sanctuary in 1940.

Roughly 170 birds have been recorded here. Of these, the painted stork, Asian openbill stork, common spoonbill, woolly-necked stork, black-headed ibis, lesser whistling duck, Indian shag, stork-billed kingfisher, egret, cormorant, Oriental darter, and heron breed here regularly. The great stone plover, and river tern also nest here. The park is home to a large flock of streak-throated swallows. During the months of January and February, more than 30 species of birds are found and the season of the sanctuary is from November to June. About 50 pelicans have made Ranganathittu as their permanent home.

During winter months starting from mid-December, at certain seasons, as many as 40,000 birds congregate in this bird sanctuary and some birds come from Siberia, Latin America and parts of north India.