Vedanthankal Bird Sanctuary

The term ‘Vedanthangal’ is derived from the Tamil language and it means ‘place of the hunter’. Vedanthankal Bird Sanctuary is a 30 ha (70-acre) sanctuary located in the Kancheepuram District of the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The sanctuary is about 75 km from Chennai on National Highway 45 (NH45) south of Chengalpattu.

Vedanthangal sanctuary serves as a nesting home for many species of water birds. Egrets, Grey Heron, Open-billed Stork, Darter, Spoonbill, White Ibis, Night Herons, Grebes, Grey Pelican, Dabchicks, Pintail ducks and Cormmorants are some of the breeding birds that visit the sanctuary.


Birds like Coots, Moorhen and Terns are some of the resident birds in this sanctuary. It is estimated that about 7000 birds are roosting here. Nearly 115 species of birds are said to be found in this sanctuary.

Vedanthangal is one of the most spectacular breeding grounds for migratory birds in India. Some of the migratory birds travel thousands of miles all the way from Siberia to avoid the biting cold. Other migratory birds come from Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lankan countries. This sanctuary is particularly known for migratory birds, including Garganey, Teals, Shovellers, Pintails, Stills and Sandpiper among others.

It is amazing to see that the migratory birds regulated by their biological body clock flock to Vedanthangal after the monsoon with such precision. They embark on their breeding activities quickly and quietly. Infact, during the middle of January the population of migratory birds swells to around 40,000 in numbers.

The migratory birds nest in Vedanthangal sanctuary till February depending on the availability of water. Sometimes the birds feed at the Madhuranthagam tank nearby. Year after year, these migratory birds come from afar to nest during this season.