Munnar Bird Watching Places and Attractions
Eravikulam National Park
Eravikulam National Park, also known as Rajamalai is located at a distance of 13 kms from Munnar town. The park spread over an area of 97 sq kms is a sanctuary for Nilgiri Tahr (Nilgiritragus hylocrius), an endangered mountain goat species.
The national park is a birding hotspot for many of the endemic bird species found in Munnar region. Shola forest and montane grasslands with rocky cliffs makes this place a rich habitat for several endemics like Nilgiri Pipit, Painted Bush Quail, White-Bellied Sholakili, Nilgiri Flycatcher, Black Eagle and so on.
Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary
Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary is located 60 kms away from Munnar town on the state highway 17 connecting Munnar to Udumalpet. Being on the rain shadow areas of southern Western Ghats, average annual rainfall is only 500mm, spread over less than two months. Forest cover is mainly deciduous and thorny scrub forest in the dry lower areas while higher elevations have montane forest and moist deciduous vegetation. This makes Chinnar a very different birding habitat compared to the moist evergreen forests of windward side of The Western Ghats.
Chinnar wildlife sanctuary is a birding hotspot for many of the birds found in the dry deciduous and scrub forest habitats. It is also home to endangered Grizzled giant squirrels and Indian star tortoise.
Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary- Thattekad
Thattekad bird sanctuary is located at a distance of 75 kms from Munnar town towars Cochin. Constituted in 1983 with an area of 25 sq kms, it is the first bird sanctuary in Kerala. Dr. Salim Ali, ‘the bird man of India’ once described Thattekad as “the richest bird habitat in South India”. This famous bird sanctuary with an area of around 25 sq kms is the first bird sanctuary in Kerala.
These low land forest situated on the foot of Western Ghats , along the banks of Periyar river is a birding hot spot and a must visit location for birders and nature lovers. Western Ghats endemics like Ceylon Frogmoth, Malabar Trogon, Bay owl are only a few among the popular birds. A lot of migratory birds visit this area during the winter migratory months ( Oct to March). Black Bazza, Asian brown flycatcher, Indian Pitta, Brown breasted flycatcher are only a few among the winter visitors.