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Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary or Kunthankulam is a
protected area
Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...
declared as a sanctuary in 1994. It adjoins the tiny village of Koonthankulam in Nanguneri
Nanguneri is a panchayat town in Tirunelveli district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
Nanguneri is a Taluk Headquarters in the District of Tirunelveli situated at a distance of from the headquarters of the District. Vanamamalai Peruma ...
Taluk of Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a States and union territories of India, state in southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of India ...
, India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. It is just 38 km away from Tirunelveli
Tirunelveli (, ta, திருநெல்வேலி, translit=Tirunelveli) also known as Nellai ( ta, நெல்லை, translit=Nellai) and historically (during British rule) as Tinnevelly, is a major city in the Indian state of Tami ...
(a bustling town on the banks of the Thamirabarani River
The Thamirabarani or Tamraparni or Porunai is a perennial river that originates from the Agastyarkoodam peak of Pothigai hills of the Western Ghats, above Papanasam in the Ambasamudram taluk. It flows through Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi distr ...
). It is composed of Koonthankulam and Kadankulam irrigation tank
In Sri Lanka and India an irrigation tank or tank is an artificial reservoir of any size. They are part of a historic tradition of harvesting and preserving rainwater in the region. Often an embankment such as a mud bank was constructed across a sl ...
s, conveniently linked by tar road. This is the largest reserve for breeding water birds in South India
South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territo ...
. It is an Important Bird Area
An Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) is an area identified using an internationally agreed set of criteria as being globally important for the conservation of bird populations.
IBA was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife Int ...
, code: IN269, criteria: A1, A4i, and has been designated as a protected Ramsar site
A Ramsar site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention,8 ha (O)
*** Permanent 8 ha (P)
*** Seasonal Intermittent < 8 ha(Ts)
**
*
Koothankulam Bird Sanctuary
/ref>
Dinamalar video regarding Koothankulam village and bird sanctuaryMeet Bal Pandian: The Bird Man of Koonthakulam
{{Ramsar sites in India Tirunelveli district Bird sanctuaries of Tamil Nadu Protected areas established in 1994 1994 establishments in Tamil Nadu Ramsar sites in India
Community involvement
This sanctuary is actively protected and managed by the Koonthankulam village community. The local people take a keen interest in protecting this sanctuary. Birds coming to villagers' backyards are protected vehemently and regarded as harbingers of luck. Theguano
Guano (Spanish from qu, wanu) is the accumulated excrement of seabirds or bats. As a manure, guano is a highly effective fertilizer due to the high content of nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium, all key nutrients essential for plant growth. G ...
and silt from the tanks is collected by villagers in summer and applied as fertilizer to their fields. All villagers protect the birds, their nests and fledgelings. Fallen chicks are taken care of in the rescue centre till they are able to fly on their own. The Indian festival Diwali
Diwali (), Dewali, Divali, or Deepavali ( IAST: ''dīpāvalī''), also known as the Festival of Lights, related to Jain Diwali, Bandi Chhor Divas, Tihar, Swanti, Sohrai, and Bandna, is a religious celebration in Indian religions. It is ...
is not celebrated here because the sound of crackers would drive away the winged visitors.
An interpretation centre, watch tower, children's park and dormitory are open for public use throughout the year.
Fauna
More than 43 species of resident and migratory water birds visit here every year. More than 100,000 migratory birds start coming by December and fly away to their northern homes by June or July after they lay and hatch eggs and the young ones mature enough to fly with the older ones. The following migratory birds visit this area from other countries.
* Bar-headed goose
The bar-headed goose (''Anser indicus'') is a goose that breeds in Central Asia in colonies of thousands near mountain lakes and winters in South Asia, as far south as peninsular India. It lays three to eight eggs at a time in a ground nest. It ...
, Siberia
* Common sandpiper
The common sandpiper (''Actitis hypoleucos'') is a small Palearctic wader. This bird and its American sister species, the spotted sandpiper (''A. macularia''), make up the genus ''Actitis''. They are parapatric and replace each other geographic ...
, Siberia
* Common teal
The Eurasian teal (''Anas crecca''), common teal, or Eurasian green-winged teal is a common and widespread duck that breeds in temperate Eurosiberia and migrates south in winter. The Eurasian teal is often called simply the teal due to being th ...
, Siberia
* Coot
Coots are medium-sized water birds that are members of the rail family, Rallidae. They constitute the genus ''Fulica'', the name being the Latin term for "coot". Coots have predominantly black plumage, and—unlike many rails—they are usually ...
, central Siberia
* Green sandpiper
The green sandpiper (''Tringa ochropus'') is a small wader (shorebird) of the Old World.
The green sandpiper represents an ancient lineage of the genus ''Tringa''; its only close living relative is the solitary sandpiper (''T. solitaria''). They ...
, Siberia
* Greater flamingo
The greater flamingo (''Phoenicopterus roseus'') is the most widespread and largest species of the flamingo family. It is found in Africa, the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, and in southern Europe.
Taxonomy
The greater flamingo was desc ...
, northern India
* Northern pintail
The pintail or northern pintail (''Anas acuta'') is a duck species with wide geographic distribution that breeds in the northern areas of Europe and across the Palearctic and North America. It is migratory and winters south of its breeding ra ...
, Siberia
* White stork
The white stork (''Ciconia ciconia'') is a large bird in the stork family, Ciconiidae. Its plumage is mainly white, with black on the bird's wings. Adults have long red legs and long pointed red beaks, and measure on average from beak tip to en ...
, central Asia Tamil Nadu Forest DepKoothankulam Bird Sanctuary
/ref>
See also
*List of birds of Tamil Nadu
This article lists the birds found in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. 583 species of birds have been spotted in Tamil Nadu. The list also sometimes includes the local Tamil name in italics following the English common name. This list's taxonomi ...
Notes
External links
Dinamalar video regarding Koothankulam village and bird sanctuary
{{Ramsar sites in India Tirunelveli district Bird sanctuaries of Tamil Nadu Protected areas established in 1994 1994 establishments in Tamil Nadu Ramsar sites in India