Offers

Bird Watching in Greater Rann of Kutch

Bird Watching | Resident and Migratory

Rufous Backed Shrike

Accessible from Nakhatrana, Greater Rann of Kutchh is land of vast salt marshes and semi-desert areas. The marshes are also a resting site for migratory birds, and are home to over 200 species of birds including Grey Hypocolius, Grey Napped Tit, Small Minivet, Common Iora, Lesser & Greater Flamingos, Painted Sandgrouse etc. 

Banni Grasslands is an area spanning 3500 sq kms having a a large shallow lake of 80 sq kms. This area is best accessible from Nakhatrana and is part of Chari-Dhand Wetland Conservation Reserve. The vast area are virtually uninhabited except sparsely populated 46 villages. This makes the area haven for birds for nesting and for bird watchers to spot them. This area of Great Rann of Kutch lies on one of India's most important avian highways (both the birds flying from the southward in winter and the few species migrating eastward from the middle-east and Africa stopover in this area) are a top site for birding with waterfowl congregations at Charri Fulay lake, grassland and scrubland birds, as also characteristic desert species seen in the vicinity.

This is also one of India's most likely sites for Grey Hypocolius. Tawny and Bonneli's Eagle breed in the area, and there are good-sized roosts of aquila eagles. Chinkara or Indian Gazelle and desert rodents are easily seen and wolf, hyena and desert cat are possible sightings. Lala Bustard Sanctuary here once was home to Great Indian Bustard (now rarely sighted), this sanctuary is good for watching larks, chats, sandgrouse, etc. The Stoliczka's Bush Chat and White-naped Tit are globally threatened species that could be seen here, and this is also a good site for viewing Marshall's Iora, Syke's Crested Lark, White-bellied Minivet and Black Francolin.

The coastal creeks to the north of the sanctuary are good for close-views of flamingoes, herons, egrets. Chinkara, Nilgai antelope, Indian Wolf, Indian and White-footed Desert Foxes, Jackal are possible sightings, and Ratel has been seen.

Recommended stay – 2 nights  Season – Oct - March

 

Related Destination
Related Holidays

Related Things To Do

  • Chattardi

    Heritage Site
    Chttardi is a cenotaph complex near Bhuj build of red stones, oldest being built in 1770 AD. This more

    Access

    Bhuj ( 1 Kms )
  • Kutch Museum is the oldest museum in Gujarat, founded in 1877, it has the largest existing more

    Access

    Bhuj ( 1 Kms )
  • Swaminarayan Temple Bhuj

    Temple or Holy Place
    Swaminarayan Temple was built post earth quake of 2001 and is one that exhibits impressive more

    Access

    Bhuj ( 2 Kms )
  • Aina Mahal is an 18th-century palace in Bhuj, located next to the Prag Mahal.The palace was more

    Access

    Bhuj ( 1 Kms )
  • White Desert

    View Point
    The Great Rann of Kutch, is a seasonal salt marsh located in the Thar Desert in the Kutch District more

    Access

    Dhordo ( 1 Kms ), Hodka ( 17 Kms ), Bhuj ( 80 Kms ), Nakhatrana ( 110 Kms )
  • Banni Grasslands bordering the Great Rann of Kutch, lies on one of Indias most important avian more

    Access

    Dhordo ( 5 Kms ), Hodka ( 22 Kms ), Bhuj ( 80 Kms )
  • Kala Dungar

    Temple or Holy Place, View Point
    Kala dungar is a hill and the highest point in Kutch area which is home to a locally significant more

    Access

    Dhordo ( 10 Kms ), Bhuj ( 70 Kms )
  • Narayan Sarovar

    Temple or Holy Place
    Narayan Sarovar (150 kms from Bhuj) is a sacred lake one of the most sacred sites in Hindu more

    Access

    Nakhatrana ( 105 Kms ), Dhordo ( 133 Kms ), Bhuj ( 150 Kms )
  • Koteshwar Temple

    Temple or Holy Place
    The Koteshwar temple is a renowned Lord Shiva temple, 4 kms from Narayan Sarovar and about 155 kms more

    Access

    Nakhatrana ( 110 Kms ), Bhuj ( 155 Kms )
  • Lakhpat

    Gurdwara
    Lakhpat (135 kms from Bhuj) has religious significance for Sikhs. Guru Nanak, the founder of more

    Access

    Nakhatrana ( 90 Kms ), Dhordo ( 103 Kms ), Bhuj ( 135 Kms )
  • Mata No Madh - Ashapura Temple

    Temple or Holy Place
    Mata no Madh is name of the place, where the famous temple of Ashapura Mata, the head deity of more

    Access

    Nakhatrana ( 50 Kms ), Dhordo ( 80 Kms ), Bhuj ( 95 Kms )
  • Bhadreshwar Temple

    Temple or Holy Place
    Bhadreshwar is renowned for its centuries old Jain temples known as Bhadreshwar Jain Temple. These more

    Access

    Kandla ( 26 Kms ), Gandhidham ( 32 Kms ), Mandvi ( 70 Kms ), Bhuj ( 70 Kms )
  • Mandvi Beach

    View Point
    The Private beach of the Vijay Vilas Palace, Mandvi Beach is maintained by the tourism department more

    Access

    Mandvi ( 2 Kms ), Devpur ( 36 Kms ), Bhuj ( 60 Kms ), Nakhatrana ( 70 Kms )
  • 72 Jinalaya

    Temple or Holy Place
    72 Jinalaya is a Jain Pilgrimage at 11 kms from Mandvi and 51 kms from Bhuj and is home to 72 more

    Access

    Mandvi ( 11 Kms ), Devpur ( 36 Kms ), Bhuj ( 51 Kms ), Nakhatrana ( 82 Kms )
  • Dholavira

    Heritage Site
    Dholavira is an archaeological site 155 kms from Bhuj. The site of Dholavira, locally known as more

    Access

    Dholavira ( 1 Kms ), Gandhidham ( 122 Kms ), Bhuj ( 155 Kms )
  • Vijay Vilas Palace

    Heritage Site
    Vijay Vilas Palace is a Palace estate at 5 kms from Mandvi town centre overlooking Mandvi beach at more

    Access

    Mandvi ( 5 Kms ), Devpur ( 36 Kms ), Bhuj ( 55 Kms ), Nakhatrana ( 70 Kms )
  • Kutch Fossil Museum is home to a treasure of Fossils found around Kutch area. Kutch area has been more

    Access

    Nakhatrana ( 20 Kms ), Bhuj ( 30 Kms )
  • Rogan Painting at Nirona

    Arts Crafts Culture
    The Rogan art of painting is an ancient art over three hundred years old. The traditional Rogan more

    Access

    Bhuj ( 25 Kms ), Nakhatrana ( 30 Kms )
  • Rudramata Reservoir is located at 15 kms from Bhuj. Guests staying at Garha Safari Lodge are able more

    Access

    Bhuj ( 15 Kms )
  • LLDC Shrujan Museum is an outstanding textile and craft museum near Bhuj. Its exhibits include more

    Access

    Bhuj ( 15 Kms )