Migratory Birds at Kokkarebellur Bird Sanctuary near Bangalore
This summer holidays, we visited Kokkarebellur Bird Sanctuary near Bangalore twice in a gap of six weeks. It is a thrilling weekend destination from Bangalore, far from maddening traffic and connect with nature. Kokkarebellur is not a officially managed bird sanctuary; it is managed totally by the locals.
Migratory Birds – Daughters of Village
Every year in the months of November and December the migratory birds fly long distances to this particular village to breed. By June the chicks are fully grown and these birds are gone.
The birds nest on the tamarind trees. Locals treat them like the daughters of the village. They take pride on the fact that the birds have chosen their trees to nest. The tree is left undisturbed and the owner of the tree even foregoes the harvest of the tree in which the birds have built their nests.
Each tree had around 20 to 30 nests all closely spaced. You can see the chicks, white fluffy ones.
Six weeks ago when we visited there were tiny chicks of the Painted storks. The mother birds were looking at us suspiciously.
Painted Stork with chick
See Painted stork size
Last week we were amazed to see all chicks of Painted Storks grown up. But they looked ugly; they are yet to get the colored feathers for which they are called as Painted Storks.
Different Birds at Kokkare Bellur
The village is a favorite haunt of other birds like Herons, Ibis, Munias, Bush chats and more. This tree was dotted with Black Ibis birds.
Little Black Cormorants
The Spot-Billed pelicans are one of the globally endangered species of bird. Kokkarebellur Bird Sanctuary near Bangalore was earlier known for these spot billed Pelicans. About a decade back, they used to arrive in thousands in the months of November and December. Unfortunately now the numbers have dwindled to just around 100. I could get just one ok shot.
Mysore Amateur Naturalists (MAN) an environmental group, based at Kaokkare Bellur is working hard to revive the Pelican population. While we were there we met Mr. Linge Gowda, the President of Hejjarle Balaga, who explained to us the various activities they are doing to protect these species.
Mr. Linge Gowda the President of Hejjarle Balaga
They have made a special enclosure to protect the chicks that fall down from the nests from dogs and crows.
… after six weeks… the chicks have grown, we saw them flying short distances. Soon they will join their parents in their flight to new grounds.
Pelicans Nesting in Kokrebellur
Kokrebellur is not a bird sanctuary, but just a village. A village with many tamarind trees which are home to migratory birds, particularly spot-billed pelicans, year after year. This has raised its status to naturally made bird sanctuary. It is not a fenced area. No tickets are required to visit it. At the same time the villagers ask visitors to not disturb the nesting birds with loud honking and shouts.
For the villagers of Kokrebellur: these birds are like a daughter coming home for delivery. The women particularly are very sensitive about these birds. These birds arrive here October to November every year. Their activities: mating, building nests, hatching their eggs, after fending for their chicks for a couple of months they re-migrate in May.
The Pelican chicks must have hatched now in Kokrebellur. I was there last Dec, the Pelicans were just building nests. There was a flurry of activities, birds flying to and fro between trees, picking up a twig in their beaks, some of them flying right over our heads.
It is a quiet affair during these months, just like any other month of the year; no touristy stuffs are done in these villages. You will find it difficult to find any shop offering tourist support there. People drive in from city, halt for an hour, some photography done, they leave the place without disturbing the nesting birds. A couple of pictures shared here.
How to get to Kokkarebelur
Kokkarebellur is 80 kilometers southwest of Bangalore on the Bangalore-Mysore road. It is located near near Maddur between Mysore and Bangalore. After our visit to Chennakesava Temple in Somnathapura we took a detour to this Kokkarebellur Bird Sanctuary.
Interested in another bird sanctuary near Bangalore? Visit this: Kaggaladu Bird Sanctuary and Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary.
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(This post was first published on May 30 2008.)
Thanks Vlahos.
Thanks Mimi…welcome to my blog.
Thanks Bengbeng… I like your style of writing. 🙂
Thanks Capt. Anup Murthy… Thank you very much for your compliments.
Thanks Ajeya… I am keen to see your collection.
Thanks Raji… I am glad you liked them.
Thanks Lakshmi… do visit the place in June before you leave for US.
Thanks Pradeep…but for the efforts of the locals this place would have vanished long back.
Good to see that these treasures are being preserved rather than over run by development.
I have heard of this place…seems fasinating!! Wonderful that you got so many photos to go with the blog!!
As usual lovely pictures, and a thorough overview in words, too. Just keep them coming, Indrani.
Nice pics Indrani. Inspired by similar blogs i have been trying to capture few birds recently in y trips home. We get to see a lot of them in my native.
Fab pictures and write up. Inspiring villagers, that they look after the birds like their own family. There are such oasis in India where some species are protected, this is one of them. Keep posting. You have the gift of writing and photography as well.
indrani, this is a quality post. sometimes i wish i could write a comprehensive, well researched post like this. my style is basically light n airy n blown away with a gust of wind 🙂
Hello! great shots on birds great picture very nice blog…
excellent post. great shots and info. very interesting. so many things to see. well done
Thanks Misty…thank you very much for hosting camera critters.
Thanks Ratmammy.
Thanks Sandy.
Thanks Fishing guy…I am glad you liked them.
Thanks David… yeah ‘tetul gaachch’. 🙂
Thanks Celine… glad u were delighted.
Thanks Andree… for the compliments. We are indeed lucky.
Thanks Michele… I am glad u enjoyed.
Thanks Swordmama… White Ibis are in plenty here too.
Thanks Dianne… I am glad you found it informative.
Thanks Elaine… blogging helps learning about each other’s countries.
I love it whenever you give an introduction on the pictures you’re sharing. I learn a lot about India from you 🙂
thank you for all that information and for the wonderful photos
this village is so inspiring
I really adore the pelicans! I have seen very few since we’ve been at the beach so far this year. I’m so glad that the group is doing everything to protect them. We used to have white ibis in our backyard that lived by a pond. I loved watching them. What a beautiful area for all of the birds to be safe and protected. Thanks for sharing your beautiful pictures!! 🙂
These are amazing photos and I throughly enjoyed your post. I have never felt so close to nature in reading a post as I did in yours… very nice!! Good work.
Rocky Mountain Retreat
You got the special privilege of viewing an endangered species. Not many people have that treat. I love your photos. I never see any of these birds here at all. What a great post.
What a lovely post!
It is both delightful and interesting to view the enlarged pictures.:)
Haven’t seen a tamarind tree ina while! Thank you, Indrani ….
Indrani: What wonderful pictures, I especially like the mother and baby.
extremely interesting birds.
This is such a beautiful place. you are lucky to be able to visit it!
This is a GREAT post. I learned so much and I was truly amazed. I would LOVE to see this in person! How magnificent!
Thanks Gil… hope you have a good week ahead.
Thanks Gallicissa… the adult Painted Storks are gorgeous. Cricket?? Not me. 🙂
Thanks Kat… I am glad you enjoyed it.
Looks you’ve been in the hunting mode and shooting spree..!!!
Great pictures. Felt in touch with nature reading your blog… Wonderful.
Hi Indrani,
Thanks for letting me know about this post. I enjoyed it. This sounds like good nest colony.
Painted Stork juveniles are pretty dull and boring. I get them occationally in my local bird patch. The adults are real goodies.
It is the monsoon here and raining cats and dogs. I hope are following the IPL.
Today’s one should be good. I am supporting Dhnoni’s team. Punjab is full of arrogrance, although I kind of liked them initially due to Preity Zinta and our two players, I am now putting my money on Chennai to go all the way…!
You have a nice blog here and I will be back.
Hi Indrani! Sorry for the speedy visit! I’ve been busy the whole last week and will be out in the next, so this is far less than your blog deserves… ;(( But I promise I’ll come back with more time after June 10th, at least…
Anyhow, some of the birds are stunning!
To avoid leaving you deserted, I published a last post on Marrakesh 2006 at Blogtrotter. 😉 Enjoy!