Pulicat lake bird sanctuary

Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary is located in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh. Stretched across a total area of 481 sq km, the core area of the National Park is 108 sq km. 327.33 sq km of the park is managed by the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department while the rest 153.67 sq km falls under the administration of the Tamil Nadu Forest Department. The altitude ranges from 100? MSL to 1200? MSL.

The climate of the Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary is mild and pleasant throughout the year with a moderate fluctuation during the summers and winters. Monsoons enjoy an average rainfall from 800-2000 mm. The temperature varies from 14 degrees Celsius to 33 degrees Celsius.

Though the place is perfect for visit any time of the year, it is best to be explored from October to March when the migratory birds from Australia, Nigeria, Siberia, Pakistan and Europe fly all the way down to reproduce and feed on the lake. It is a sheer delight to watch the birds, especially flamingos, in the wetland where they stay for all these months. It is indeed a once in a lifetime experience.

The bird sanctuary is one of the most famous in India where thousands of foreign birds migrate and spend few months for reproduction and in search of food. Birds make nests on the trees at Nelapattu, Vedurupattu, Bodilingalapadu and Sriharikota Island and come down to the lake every day for feeding. Birds like grey pelicans, larger flamingos, and painted storks are among the most favorites among the tourists, while the other attractions are birds like grey heron, black ducks, white ducks, marbled teal, terns, egrets, kites and patridges, quails, seagulls, open-billed stork, curlews, stilts, plovers, sandpipers, lapwings, redshanks, shoveler, garganey, gadwall, marsh sandpipers, and black-tailed godwit. Notable is the fact that the sanctuary attracts and houses upto 15000 flamingos during the peak season.

The flora and fauna is biologically endowed with a diverse range of biological habitats, including 160 species of fish, 12 species of prawn, 25 species of polychaete worms, 19 species of molluskand more. The other aquatic creatures found here are anemone, mussels, fish worms, snails, clams, sponges, prawns, crabs, insects, plankton, spiders, oysters etc.