Kolleru Lake Bird Sanctuary
Location
Kolleru Lake Bird Sanctuary is undoubtedly one of the best fresh water lake sanctuaries in India. It is located on the Kolleru Lake in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. It is situated on the delta region between Krishna and Godavari rivers in Andhra Pradesh. It is a beautiful paradise for many migratory birds coming from Australia, Philippines, Egypt and Siberia during the winter season of India. This sanctuary is also known as Atapaka Bird Sanctuary and occupies an area of 308 square kilometres.About the Sanctuary
The sanctuary was established in November 1999, under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 and was designated a wetland of international importance in November 2002 under the International Ramsar Convention. Birds like red-crested pochards, pintails, storks and teals are found in large numbers at this exotic bird sanctuary. The natural cool wind from the lakeside and the beautiful surroundings hold a magical appeal to the migratory birds. There is also a watch tower that helps the visiting tourists and explorers to observe the birds very closely.The main attractions of Kolleru Bird sanctuary is its exquisite wildlife, rich natural greenery and rare bird species. During the monsoon season, the lake becomes a boon for fisherman due to the abundance of prawns and fishes found in it. The lake is visited by more than 1,50,000 birds every year, which include Open Bill Storks, Painted Storks, Blackwinged Stilts, Avocets, Common Redshanks, Glossy Ibises, Shovellers Wigeons, Gadwalls and Cormorants, among others. The flora of the sanctuary mainly include aquatic weeds like Ipomea Aquatics, Scripus, Water Hyacinth, Ottelia, Typha etc. and certain tree species like Babul, Rain tree, Palmyrah, Albezzia and Coconut trees.
The lake supports a rich biodiversity and produces high biomass of fish and plankton which are the source of food for birds. Pelicans arrive here during the Indian winter season to raise their young. The chaos of Pelicans can be heard a quarter of a mile away. 63 species of fish belonging to 29 families are found in the lake. Adventure travellers, nature lovers and environmentalists make it a point to visit this natural home of rare birds.
Best Time to Visit
October to MarchTimings
It is open for tourists from 6AM to 5PM every day.For more information please contact:
Andhra Pradesh Tourist Information CentreTourism Department’
Government of Andhra Pradesh
Phone: +91-40-23450444
