India Ramsar wetland
Vembanad
173 bird species recorded; the most in February.
Vyacheslav Argenberg · CC BY 4.0
This month here
122 species in January.134 species in February.111 species in March.109 species in April.92 species in May.72 species in June.85 species in July.93 species in August.82 species in September.108 species in October.110 species in November.114 species in December.
The birds you are most likely to see in the month you choose, those that come for the season first. It opens on today's month.
- Resident all year
- Summer visitor comes to breed
- Winter visitor comes for the winter
- Passage migrant in spring and autumn
In numbers
173 species, counted.
Our own rating, from the records only: species (50 points), threatened species (20), migrants (20) and protected status — Ramsar, IBA, SPA, observatory (10).
- 173Speciesrecorded more than once
- 62Migrantssummer, winter or passage visitors
- 3ThreatenedVulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered (IUCN)
- 71,035Recordsopen records within 6 km
- 5Raptors
- 6Owls
- 24Waders
- 12Gulls & seabirds
- 6Ducks & geese
- 17Herons, ibises & grebes
- 3Storks & cranes
- 1Flamingos
- 61Songbirds
- 38Other birds
From open records (eBird and others, through GBIF, licensed for any use). More birdwatchers mean more records: a quiet place may have more birds than it shows.
The checklist
All 173 species.
By group, with the year in twelve cells: the darker the cell, the more often the bird is recorded that month.
Raptors5 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Brahminy KiteHaliastur indus
- Black KiteMilvus migrans
- OspreyPandion haliaetus
- Western Marsh HarrierCircus aeruginosus
- Crested Honey BuzzardPernis ptilorhynchus
Owls6 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Jungle OwletGlaucidium radiatum
- Spotted OwletAthene brama
- Indian Scops OwlOtus bakkamoena
- Eastern Barn OwlTyto javanica
- Mottled Wood-OwlStrix ocellata
- Brown BoobookNinox scutulata
Waders24 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Red-wattled LapwingVanellus indicus
- Bronze-winged JacanaMetopidius indicus
- Black-winged StiltHimantopus himantopus
- Wood SandpiperTringa glareola
- Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos
- Common GreenshankTringa nebularia
- Pacific Golden PloverPluvialis fulva
- Green SandpiperTringa ochropus
- Pheasant-tailed JacanaHydrophasianus chirurgus
- Marsh SandpiperTringa stagnatilis
- Pin-tailed SnipeGallinago stenura
- Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaNT
- Little StintCalidris minuta
- Common SnipeGallinago gallinago
- Charadrius atrifronsCharadrius atrifrons
- RedshankTringa totanus
- Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferrugineaVU
- SanderlingCalidris alba
- Greater Sand PloverCharadrius leschenaultii
- Spotted RedshankTringa erythropus
- Kentish PloverCharadrius alexandrinus
- Temminck's StintCalidris temminckii
- Eurasian WhimbrelNumenius phaeopus
- RuffCalidris pugnax
Gulls & seabirds12 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Whiskered TernChlidonias hybrida
- Gull-billed TernGelochelidon nilotica
- Brown-headed GullChroicocephalus brunnicephalus
- Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
- Little TernSternula albifrons
- Lesser Crested TernThalasseus bengalensis
- Caspian TernHydroprogne caspia
- Great Crested-TernThalasseus bergii
- River TernSterna aurantiaVU
- Common TernSterna hirundo
- Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
- Slender-billed GullChroicocephalus genei
Ducks & geese6 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Lesser Whistling DuckDendrocygna javanica
- Cotton Pygmy GooseNettapus coromandelianus
- GarganeySpatula querquedula
- Anas poecilorhynchaAnas poecilorhyncha
- Northern PintailAnas acuta
- Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata
Herons, ibises & grebes17 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Indian Pond-HeronArdeola grayii
- Little CormorantMicrocarbo niger
- Little EgretEgretta garzetta
- Egretta intermediaEgretta intermedia
- Purple heronArdea purpurea
- Oriental DarterAnhinga melanogaster
- Black-crowned Night-HeronNycticorax nycticorax
- Great White EgretArdea alba
- Indian CormorantPhalacrocorax fuscicollis
- Black-necked IbisThreskiornis melanocephalus
- Grey HeronArdea cinerea
- Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellus
- Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis
- Striated HeronButorides striata
- Grey PelicanPelecanus philippensisNT
- Eurasian SpoonbillPlatalea leucorodia
- Western Reef HeronEgretta gularis
Storks & cranes3 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Asian Open-bill StorkAnastomus oscitans
- Painted StorkMycteria leucocephala
- Asian WoollyneckCiconia episcopusNT
Flamingos1 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Greater FlamingoPhoenicopterus roseus
Songbirds61 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- House CrowCorvus splendens
- Common MynaAcridotheres tristis
- Large-billed CrowCorvus macrorhynchos
- Purple-rumped SunbirdLeptocoma zeylonica
- Oriental Magpie-robinCopsychus saularis
- Black DrongoDicrurus macrocercus
- Rufous TreepieDendrocitta vagabunda
- Pale-billed FlowerpeckerDicaeum erythrorhynchos
- Barn swallowHirundo rustica
- Common TailorbirdOrthotomus sutorius
- Greater Racket-tailed DrongoDicrurus paradiseus
- Jungle babblerTurdoides striata
- Black-hooded OrioleOriolus xanthornus
- Plain PriniaPrinia inornata
- Ashy PriniaPrinia socialis
- Red-vented BulbulPycnonotus cafer
- Loten's SunbirdCinnyris lotenius
- Blyth’s Reed WarblerAcrocephalus dumetorum
- Indian Paradise FlycatcherTerpsiphone paradisi
- Oriolus kundooOriolus kundoo
- Western Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava
- Ashy Wood SwallowArtamus fuscus
- Red-whiskered BulbulPycnonotus jocosus
- Black-headed MuniaLonchura malacca
- White-rumped MuniaLonchura striata
- Brown ShrikeLanius cristatus
- Clamorous Reed WarblerAcrocephalus stentoreus
- Zitting CisticolaCisticola juncidis
- Baya WeaverPloceus philippinus
- Forest WagtailDendronanthus indicus
- Jungle MynaAcridotheres fuscus
- Purple SunbirdCinnyris asiaticus
- White-browed WagtailMotacilla maderaspatensis
- Phylloscopus nitidusPhylloscopus nitidus
- Eastern Red-rumped SwallowCecropis daurica
- Rosy StarlingPastor roseus
- Cinereous TitParus cinereus
- Bronzed DrongoDicrurus aeneus
- Muscicapa latirostrisMuscicapa latirostris
- Spice FinchLonchura punctulata
- Oriolus chinensisOriolus chinensis
- Common IoraAegithina tiphia
- Malabar StarlingSturnia blythii
- Dicrurus leucophaeusDicrurus leucophaeus
- Indian PittaPitta brachyura
- Paddyfield PipitAnthus rufulus
- Greenish WarblerPhylloscopus trochiloides
- Paddyfield WarblerAcrocephalus agricola
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- Jerdon's LeafbirdChloropsis jerdoni
- Small MinivetPericrocotus cinnamomeus
- Streaked WeaverPloceus manyar
- Bay-backed ShrikeLanius vittatus
- Chestnut-tailed StarlingSturnia malabarica
- Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
- Lesser whitethroatSylvia curruca
- Orange-headed ThrushGeokichla citrina
- Daurian StarlingAgropsar sturninus
- Brahminy StarlingSturnia pagodarum
- Large CuckooshrikeCoracina macei
- Golden-fronted LeafbirdChloropsis aurifrons
Other birds38 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Common KoelEudynamys scolopaceus
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- White-cheeked BarbetPsilopogon viridis
- White-breasted KingfisherHalcyon smyrnensis
- Greater CoucalCentropus sinensis
- White-breasted WaterhenAmaurornis phoenicurus
- Black-rumped FlamebackDinopium benghalense
- Blue-tailed Bee-eaterMerops philippinus
- Stork-billed KingfisherPelargopsis capensis
- Rose-ringed ParakeetPsittacula krameri
- Common KingfisherAlcedo atthis
- Asian Green Bee-eaterMerops orientalis
- Western SwamphenPorphyrio porphyrio
- Rufous WoodpeckerMicropternus brachyurus
- Cuculus variusCuculus varius
- Asian Palm-swiftCypsiurus balasiensis
- Little SwiftApus affinis
- WatercockGallicrex cinerea
- Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus
- CootFulica atra
- Jacobin CuckooClamator jacobinus
- Indian RollerCoracias benghalensisNT
- Coppersmith BarbetPsilopogon haemacephalus
- Malabar flamebackChrysocolaptes socialis
- Indian PeafowlPavo cristatus
- Grey-bellied CuckooCacomantis passerinus
- Alpine SwiftTachymarptis melba
- Black-capped KingfisherHalcyon pileataVU
- Plum-headed ParakeetPsittacula cyanocephala
- Blue-cheeked Bee-eaterMerops persicus
- Baillon's CrakePorzana pusilla
- Pied KingfisherCeryle rudis
- Eastern Spotted DoveSpilopelia chinensis
- Indian SwiftletAerodramus unicolor
- Common Emerald DoveChalcophaps indica
- Grey-fronted Green-pigeonTreron affinis
- Chestnut-headed Bee-eaterMerops leschenaulti
- Common CuckooCuculus canorus
Monthly presence relative to all bird records that month, so a busy month does not inflate every species.
When to go
The most species in February.
Species recorded in each month, with the usual temperature and rain.
- Jan32°/23°13 mm
- Feb33°/24°27 mm
- Mar33°/26°54 mm
- Apr32°/26°129 mm
- May30°/26°284 mm
- Jun28°/26°494 mm
- Jul27°/25°439 mm
- Aug27°/24°350 mm
- Sep28°/25°293 mm
- Oct28°/25°358 mm
- Nov29°/24°174 mm
- Dec30°/24°38 mm
- Bar: species recorded that month.
- Temperature: average maximum / minimum (NASA, 1991–2020).
- Rain: monthly total.
The place
Vembanad.
Lake in India
Vembanad is a wetland of international importance (Ramsar) in India.
173 bird species have been recorded here more than once, in 71,035 open records.
The most recorded are the House Crow, the Brahminy Kite and the Common Myna.
14 species come for the summer, 47 for the winter and 1 only pass through.
3 are threatened worldwide, including Black-capped Kingfisher, River Tern and Curlew Sandpiper.
The most species are recorded in February.
Get there and watch
- NEW STAR FC GROUNDcampsite · 4.3 km · 5 within 10 km
- Malabar Hotelplace to stay · 4.6 km · 90 within 10 km
- Arukuttinearest town · 1.9 km in a straight line
- Cochin International Airport (COK)nearest airport with scheduled flights · 34 km in a straight lineCar hire at COK airport (Kochi)Discover Cars · sponsored link↗
Plan the visit
A guided walk, a bed nearby, a car.
Some links above are affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what the data on this page says.
From above
The place and its surroundings.
The satellite image of the 6 × 6 km around the place, with the bird hides, towers and trails that OpenStreetMap shows.
Around, in OpenStreetMap
- 1viewpoints within 5 km
- 3car parks within 3 km
- 7restaurants and cafés within 3 km
- 5campsites within 10 kmNEW STAR FC GROUND, THOSKANA COLONY, MADAVANA M N COLONY and 2 more
- 90places to stay within 10 kmMalabar Hotel, HOTEL NEW DARBAR, Afeefa Hotel and 87 more
- bird hides within 6 km
- observation towers within 6 km
- marked trails within 4 km
- visitor centres within 6 km
Counted in OpenStreetMap, the map anyone can edit. A low number may just mean nobody has mapped it yet.
In our other atlases
Around Vembanad.
The lakes, beaches, islands, rivers and mountains around this place, and its night sky, in the family's atlases.
Peakyas1 mountains within 25 kmKodasseri Kūmban · 20 km
Islandyasthe islandPerumbalam
Figures from the sister sites' databases (Wikidata, HydroATLAS, GeoNames, OpenStreetMap). Links open when each site is online.
Photographs
The place, as people saw it.
Other places nearby.
Vembanad
India
- 63Birdyas Score
- 173Species
- 62Migrants
- 3Threatened
Thrissur-Ponnani Kole Wetlands
India · 79 km
- 78Birdyas Score
- 263Species
- 121Migrants
- 5Threatened
Where these figures come from
| Name and type | Wikidata (Q2641899) · CC0 |
|---|---|
| Birds | 71,035 open bird records within 6 km (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY 4.0 only; mostly eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology) |
| See these records | gbif.org |
| Species | GBIF Backbone Taxonomy · CC BY 4.0; Wikidata (CC0); Wikimedia Commons |
| Altitude | Copernicus DEM GLO-30 · © DLR e.V., © Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, Copernicus/ESA |
| Temperature and rain | NASA POWER (CERES SYN1deg, 2001–2020; MERRA-2) |
| What is around | © OpenStreetMap contributors · ODbL |
| Images | EOX Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 · CC BY 4.0; Wikimedia Commons |
| Sister atlases | Peakyas, Islandyas |
Every figure is an average, an estimate or a count from a public dataset. Licences and methods: data sources.
The family
Do you prefer beaches, lakes, mountains, waterfalls, islands, rivers, canyons, caves, dark skies, viewpoints, birdwatching or forests?
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