Best location for nature lovers, bird watchers & bird photographers at the largest Tropical Bird Sanctuary in India located at Thattekkad, near Kochi, Kerala which is known as Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary.

Salim Ali, one of the best known ornithologist has described this sanctuary as “the richest bird habitat on peninsular India”. The literal meaning of Thattekad is flat forest, the region is an evergreen low-land forest and is located between the branches of Periyar River, the longest river in Kerala. The Thattekad Bird Sanctuary has a rich and varied birdlife. Several species of birds, including tropical birds, sub tropical birds, migratory birds & aquatic birds visits the sanctuarie. The sanctuary is a habitat for different varieties of Cuckoos and a region of the sanctuary popularly called Cuckoo Paradise is home to them.

The Salim Ali Bird Santuary has a rich and varied birdlife. Several Species of Birds both forest birds and water birds visit the santuary. Dr. R Sugathan the famous ornithologist and a student of Dr. Salim Ali, now guiding the bird watchers.

Salim Ali Bird Santuary is 35 m to 523 m above sealevel. The normal tempreture is 35 degrees in summer and 16 degrees in winters. The average rainfall received is 3000 mm every year. The best time to visit is August to March. The preffered clothing is cotton. The common languages spoken is Malayalam, English,Tamil and Hindi.