🗺️Birding Hotspots Near Bangalore
From rocky hilltops and river sanctuaries to national parks and Western Ghats forests, the area around Bangalore offers exceptional birding year-round. Here are the key locations we visit on our tours.
Nandi Hills
The Nandi Hills lie almost due north of Bangalore — a compact block of three rocky outcrops with Nandidurg rising to 1,416 m. Though much of the original forest cover has given way to secondary scrub and eucalyptus, some native hill flora persists near the summit, including within an historic fort garden maintained by the Department of Horticulture.
The slopes carry scrub forest mixed with eucalyptus and Lantana for the lower two-thirds, with broader-leaved vegetation typical of the natural environment toward the peak. The base of the hills and surroundings have low scrub, eucalyptus stands and open cultivation with tanks scattered around.
A small number of the endemic Nilgiri Wood Pigeon can be seen here, as well as the rare, highly endemic Yellow-throated Bulbul.
Bannerghatta National Park
Bannerghatta is one of the nearest natural reserves to Bangalore, just 22 km south. This hilly park is home to one of the richest natural and zoological reserves in Karnataka, consisting mostly of dense forest and scrubland.
It is an important corridor for elephants migrating between the Eastern and Western Ghats and is also home to gaur, leopard and wild boar. With over 150 bird species, the park offers excellent scrub birding. The endemic Yellow-throated Bulbul is found here too.
Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary
Located in Mandya District, Karnataka, Ranganathittu occupies just 0.67 km² — comprising six small islets on the Kaveri River near the historic town of Srirangapatna. The islets formed when a dam was built across the Kaveri in the 1700s. The famous ornithologist Dr Salim Ali observed their importance as nesting grounds, persuading the Wodeyar kings of Mysore to declare the area a wildlife sanctuary in 1940.
The islands host numerous mammals and migratory birds: bonnet macaque, colonies of flying fox, Indian grey mongoose, monitor lizard and civet. The mugger (marsh) crocodile is a common riverine inhabitant.
Nagarhole National Park
Also known as Rajiv Gandhi National Park, Nagarhole spans Kodagu and Mysore districts. Together with Bandipur, Mudumalai and Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary it forms the largest protected area in Southern India at over 2,183 km². The park has rich forest cover, small streams, valleys and waterfalls.
Nagarhole has a healthy predator population — tiger, Indian bison and elephant are more populous here than in Bandipur. Recognised as an Important Bird Area, the park records over 270 species including critically endangered and vulnerable species.
Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary — Western Ghats
The Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary, named after the 1,607 m Brahmagiri peak, is part of the Western Ghats and sits on the Karnataka–Kerala border. Eight rivers and streams originate here and flow to both the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. Vegetation ranges from evergreen and semi-evergreen forests in lower areas to shola grasslands at higher elevations.
Twelve of the 16 bird species endemic to the Western Ghats are found in this sanctuary. Critically endangered and globally vulnerable species are recorded alongside a rich assemblage of forest birds.