South India is known for its species richness, with a great variety of birds and mammals ranging from Asian Elephant and Nilgiri Langurs to the rare Mouse Deer. Bird species found in South India include White-bellied Treepie, Rufous Babbler, Crimson-backed Sunbird, Wayanad and Palani Laughingthrushes, Blue-winged Parakeet, Malabar Grey Hornbill, Mottled Wood Owl, Sri Lanka Bay Owl, Oriental Scops Owl, Brown Fish Owl, and Spot-bellied Eagle Owl. You should also be able to sight the Red Spurfowl, Grey Junglefowl, Indian Pitta, and the Grey-headed Fish Eagle.
Two of the most popular birding destinations in South India are Thattekkad, and Munnar. These destinations are not only home to lush picturesque forests, but a variety of wildlife endemic to the Western Ghats.
When travelling here, your trip begins in Cochin, or Kochi where you can visit the Jewish Synagogue, St. Francis Church, the Dutch Palace and the Chinese fishing nets.
From Kochi, you will travel onward to Thattekkad bird sanctuary. Thattekkad, officially known as the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, is a lowland forest with several types of ecosystems – Riverine, Grasslands, Evergreen, Scrub, Dry Deciduous, Lowland Forest, enabling it to be one of the best birding destinations in India. In Thattekkad, you can enjoy many bird-filled walks in the jungles, which can be very rewarding.
Specialties here include Grey-headed Bulbul, Wayanad Laughingthrush, White-bellied Treepie, Sri Lanka Frogmouth, Malabar Trogon, Red Spurfowl, Sri Lanka Bay Owl, Rufous Babbler, Blue-faced Malkoha, and Brown-breasted, White-bellied, and Rusty-tailed Flycatchers. Other species include Malabar Grey Hornbill, Malabar Whistling Thrush, Blue-bearded Bee-eater, White-bellied and Heart-spotted Woodpeckers, Black-throated Munia, Black-naped Monarch and Brown Hawk-Owl. Relax for a few hours during the heat of the day before looking for nightjars in the bouldery patches known to the local guides. The nightjars seen here include Great Eared, Jerdon’s, Jungle and Savanna. Here you can also look for Grey Junglefowl, Jungle Owlet, Plain Flowerpecker, Rufous Babbler, Chestnut-headed Bee-eater and many other species. Moreover, Thattekkad is ideal for seeing a good number of butterfly and mammal species.
From Thattekkad, you move further to the popular hill station of Munnar. Located at an altitude of 1600m above sea level, Munnar is a haven for peace and tranquility. From vast tea plantations to an array of trekking trails and magical waterfalls, the place is blessed with several scenic spots which are capable of making your southern journey experiential. Munnar has several temples, viewpoints, and waterfalls one can visit, as well as the famous tea plantations. Some of the popular sightseeing places here include the Munnar Tea Plantation, Mattupetty Dam for boating, Munnar Tea Museum. Visit the scenic beauty of Places like Pothamedu, Lock heart point or Gap Road, or take a jeep Safari to Koluthumalai to see the mountain heights of Munnar. One can also shop for farm-fresh spices here, including cardamom, coffee, pepper, cloves, and more.
Apart from the scenic beauty, Munnar is also a fantastic wildlife and birding destination. Around Munnar, the pockets of the “sholas” (a type of alpine meadow specific to the Western Ghats) and Nilgiri mountain grassland ecosystem are home to several of the endemic birds and various mammals including the endemic Nilgiri Tahr. The nearby Eravikulam National Park, and several sholas make for a variety of endemic species.
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