A must-visit for the exotic variety of birds and the rural aura of the surrounding countryside. Its location near Chennai makes it a perfect picnic spot.
Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary is one of the oldest sanctuaries in India. The village of Vedanthangal is located in the Kanchipuram district of Tamil Nadu. It takes about an hour and a half to reach Vedanthangal from Chennai, the state capital.
Vedanthangal, translating to 'the hamlet of the hunter', has been a favorite hunting ground for the kings and soldiers. The generous bird droppings around the sanctuary were believed to have helped the local agriculture as a rich manure. The villagers obtained a government order against bird shooting from the first collector of the East India Company in 1790. Vedanthangal acquired its official sanctuary status in the year 1936; since then, the area is protected and maintained by the government.
The sanctuary is visited by around 40,000 birds among which are the 26 rare species. More than 80% of the avian visitors are migratory. Most of the birds come for breeding and nesting, while others come simply to rest and feed.
The Vedanthangal tank is rain-fed and remains dry most of the summer. Starting early August, the tank begins to fill in and so are the flocks of water birds. The unique feature of the sanctuary is its compactness; the astonishing fact is the sheer number of birds packed in congestion.
The Flora
The Barringtonia trees at the river banks are the centre of the birds' activities; the trees are tensile enough to overbear the number of the birds. The trees are not mangroves but can handle well in water-clogging for a while. Acacias and palmyras are the other native trees found here. The ample vegetation and the surrounding lush fields attest to the manurial properties of the birds' droppings.
The Fauna
Many migratory birds find their way to Vedanthangal to escape the harsh winters of North Asia and Europe. Common Sandpiper, Blue-winged Teal and Grey Wagtail are some of such birds. Contrary to the popular belief, the migratory birds do not breed here, but at their homes.
Open-billed Storks are the first to arrive in the sanctuary and they breed twice before leaving. Egrets, pelicans and darters are frequently spotted. Other birds seen in large numbers are: Painted Stork, Spot-billed Pelican, Great Cormorant, Indian Cormorant, Eurasian Spoonbill, Asian Openbill, Black-headed Ibis, Grey Heron and Purple Heron. A variety of ducks can be found including the comb ducks, pintails, dabchicks and sand-pipers. Native birds like the cuckoos, parakeets, dabblers, rollers, drongos, mynahs, etc., are also abundant in the sanctuary.
Brahminy Kite and Short-toed Eagle are some of the birds of prey. Mammals like jackals, monkeys, jungle cats and Black-naped Hares call Vedanthangal their home.
Overcrowding and Food Scarcity
A mass graveyard of the avian fauna has been found adjacent to the sanctuary in June 2011. The reasons were ascertained to be the scarcity of fishes and pollution of a nearby tank. This came as a great shock to the bird-watchers and nature enthusiasts as the Forest Department had introduced a large number of small fishes to the tank during the previous year. The article in Times Of India elaborates more on this story.
Visitor Information
Early mornings and evenings are usually abuzz with the avian activities. One can leisurely enjoy the birds' day-to-day activities: pelicans salubriously swimming along the river, the shy darters taking a dip, storks collecting bric-a-bracs for their nests and others simply gliding through the air.
The sanctuary is easily accessible from Chennai, Kanchipuram and Mamallapuram. The opening hours are from 6 AM to 6 PM. The best season to visit the sanctuary is between November and March, which is also the breeding season for the birds. There is a small entrance fee and a separate fee for the camera. There are paved paths around the tank, watch towers and other tourist facilities in the sanctuary. Accommodation can be availed at the Forest Rest House in the sanctuary.
Keen bird-watchers can visit the nearby Karkili Bird Sanctuary, located 9 KM away.
Sources:
Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu Forest Department
Krishnan, M. The Vedanthangal Sanctuary for Water-Birds. The Madras State Forest Department