If you ask me to name one place in Karnataka that has genuinely taken my breath away with the sights of birds, it would be Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary.
I've been to a lot of birding spots around India, and each one has its own personality — but Ranganathittu really blew me away. I never believed that I could spot such birds so close to home. The first time I went was the most memorable of all the other times, as it was this time in which I truly saw the birds of the park.
During the correct season you can spot ethereal migratory birds and see little baby birds in their nests cuddling with one another while their parents go out searching for food. The perfect season is winter — from the end of November to the end of March.
Crested Hawk-Cuckoo · Ranganathittu
I spotted more than 40 species of birds during my trips to Ranganathittu. Some of the arboreal birds I saw repeatedly were the Tickell's Blue Flycatcher and Spot-breasted Fantail. Common aquatic birds included Painted Stork, Asian Openbill, Spot-billed Pelican, Cormorants, Darters and many more.
One of the jaw-opening birds we saw were the mud swallows. They were all around only a single rock in the water, swooping around their nests which were in fact built with mud from nearby agricultural fields.
Picture this: a single rock rising out of the river. Unremarkable at first glance. And then you notice the movement — dozens of swallows, swooping and diving in tight arcs around that one rock. Their nests, built entirely from mud carried from nearby agricultural fields, are packed into every available surface. The whole scene has an energy to it, frantic and oddly beautiful all at once.
If you are someone who is enthusiastic about birding but does not want to travel too far from home, Ranganathittu would be the best birding spot in which you could practice your identification skills as well as photography skills.
Forty species and counting — honestly, I'm not done yet. Every visit to Ranganathittu feels like the first time in some way. A new bird, a nest that wasn't there last season. That's the thing about this place — it keeps giving.
So whether you're a seasoned birder with a battered field guide or someone who just bought their first pair of binoculars, Ranganathittu will meet you exactly where you are. Go once, and you'll already be planning your second trip on the drive back home.