Winged visitors come calling

Attiveri, a bird sanctuary in Mundgod taluk of Uttara Kannada district, is buzzing with migratory birds now. They are busy in activities like nesting, breeding and feeding young ones. These birds will be staying in Attiveri till March.

Migratory birds like pintails, gargany and shoveller have come here for breeding. Birds such as white-breasted waterhen, Indian darter, spoonbills and the Indian cormorant are found here throughout the year. Tanks in adjacent areas, agricultural fields and forest areas provide food and shelter to these birds.

Attiveri is situated 17 km away from Mundgod town. It is spread in an area of 2.22 sq km amidst riverine and deciduous forests, and agricultural lands. In 1992, a waterbird census was conducted by noted ornithologist the late P D Sudarshan in Mundgod taluk.

He was appointed as honorary wildlife warden and was entrusted to carry out the census by the State government. In his report, Sudarshan wrote that he spotted around 4,000 birds of 150 species, including 28 waterbird species. As a result of his report and recommendations, Attiveri was declared as a bird sanctuary by the government in 2000.

The sanctuary covers 548 acres of reserve forest land and 12 acres of private land. It is said that around 80 species of migratory birds from 22 countries visit Attiveri every year.

Attiveri Bird Sanctuary is an ideal destination for nature lovers and birdwatchers. The best time to visit the sanctuary is from November to March. For the benefit of tourists, there are facilities like a children's park, dormitory, watchtowers, pergolas and a cafeteria.