Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary — Attraction in Maduranthakam

Vedanthangal place is mostly known by many people in world by this name “Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary”. Spread over 74 acres, it is centuries-old sanctuary has a history of once protected by local villagers to safeguard the migratory birds that nest here. It's renowned for its large number of different birds that visit every year from other countries.

It is a nice place to visit with your family. If you are planning please visit during the migratory bird season which peaks from December to till March 1st week. Well maintained & tree covered walkway. The walk inside may take an hour, if you want spend more time you can. There were some viewing areas like watch tower & some places where you can see them from some heights. Some sitting area is also available from there too you can see birds.

Here you can see these kind of migratory birds Ibises, Painted storks, Cormorants, Spoonbills, Pelicans, Herons etc.., & you can also watch how they build their nest if you are visiting in January & boards of each birds with their specifications is place inside the sanctuary. The staff working over there are so kind even they tell us about each & every bird & their behaviour & which month they will hatch, from which point you can view all the birds. But you will be seeing the birds from quite a distance. So if you have binoculars carry them for clear view of the birds. Do take a good camera & a binocular if you have at your home or else you can rent a binocular for which is available outside the sanctuary for ₹50/- (single) small binocular specially for children & ₹100/-(single) for all ages.

There are a few local eateries near the sanctuary like fruits, pakoras, bhajjis, mangoes, tea & coffee , toys, coconut water, ice - creams, & some bakery item all at very reasonable prices. you can carry food, snacks & water inside the sanctuary but please don’t feed birds (or) throw those inside the water. Don’t go near the water as it some times smells bad because of the greenery in the water. You can feel like picnic inside & have some food with family & make some chit - chat. Avoid to make noises & blasting sounds birds will be frightened.

The entry price of sanctuary is ₹10/- for adult & ₹5/- for children. For Mobile ₹50/- ( Not for each Mobile ₹50/- for over all family.) & for camera ₹100/-. Wheel chairs also available on pay for the old age & disabled people. For Indians & foreigner the price level differs. The sanctuary opens for all day from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm. Early mornings or after 3:00 pm are the best times for birdwatching as the birds are most active. Parking facility is available. Restrooms are neat & tidy. Must say it's a place worth visiting for a...

My Travel Experience Get there early Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary is open from Sun Rise to Sun Set. Please get here early before 7am before the birds go in search of food in the nearby fields.

On my way to Vedanthangal When I was on the way to Vedanthangal and near the Bird Sanctuary, I was able to feel the calmness and lot of agricultural fields. Surrounded by greenery everywhere. This is the major reason why these birds would have made this place as their breeding ground.

Parking I was expecting a large parking lot or a designated parking lot, similar to Vellode Bird Sanctuary in Erode, TamilNadu. However, there was enough space on the road side near the entrance to park my vehicle.

Get your Binoculars Anyone who want to see the birds with good detail and closer, could rent the Binoculars at the Ticket counter. I brought my own Binacular and felt it was worth they recent buy. I recommend Nikon Aculon A211 12 x 50 Binocular or Olympus Binocular 10x50 if you are really interested in Bird watching or Star gazing.

What type of lens to use ? I used my Canon EOS Rebel T6 Camera with a 300mm lens to take the photos and videos. However, I would recommend 600mm to 800mm lens to get a much closer picture.

Toilets and Cleanliness The Bird Sanctuary has good pavement to walk and see the birds. There are designated spots where people could sit and have the food that they have brought with them. The dust bins are available almost every few yards and they are enclosed to protect wildlife from feeding on trash. The toilets were well maintained and I would definitely appreciate the staffs working here.

Don't miss the Tower There is a small tower in Vedanthangal that provides a better view of the entire place and better spot to get a closer picture of the birds,

Small Bird Sanctuary The trees that grow in Vedanthagal lake help these birds to build their nest safely surrounded by water. The entire place was beautiful and the birds were calm and relaxing at this place, as if they are at their home, feeling safe and not much to worry about. however, I felt my trip ended within 2 to 3 hours after my arrival. I was surprised that it was small, as I wanted to go further and see few more birds around this water bird sanctuary.

My interest for bird watching After visiting this place I got more interested in watching Birds and want to take a closer picture of these beautiful creatures. I went to Vellode Bird Sanctuary after visiting Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary. Checkout my travels blogs.

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Vedanthangal is a bird paradise located around 1.5 hours from Chennai, in Madurantakam in the Chengalpattu district. If you are coming from Chennai and using Google Maps, around 3 minutes before reaching the sanctuary, you are likely to come across a mud road, where you will probably wonder if you have come on the right path or if Google bro is mistaken. You may ask a local person like we did and they will probably tell you (noticed the guy rolling his eyes) to proceed on to the left. If you do, the bad road will end in around 100 metres and you will be back on the main road. At the gate, you will need to buy reasonably priced tickets. Cameras are priced at extra Rs 50. Binoculars may be taken for rent outside the gate for Rs.100. Having a good set of powerful binoculars is very useful in the sanctuary. There is a walk of about a kilometre during which you will see a diverse variety of flora and fauna. Although known for its migratory and resident birds, one can see stunning butterflies, bees, moths, ants and if you're lucky even snakes.

There are watch towers built along the pathway, where one can climb up and get a spectacular view of the mangroves and it's feathered residents. Some of the beautiful birds that we sighted include the painted storks, pelicans, bronze winged jacana, golden oriole, pond and grey herons, owls, egrets, cormorants and darters. When we visited, we came across some naturalists who work with the forest officials and caretakers in spreading awareness and conducting surveys. Once the stretch is completed, we were advised by the forest rangers to turn and return the same way. Going ahead into the forest is prohibited. Although we visited in March and still sighted several species of birds, it is recommended to visit between November end and February and reach there as early in the day as possible.

There is supposed to be a government guest house nearby which one can stay overnight and reach the sanctuary before dawn to get maximum sightings. Vedanthangal is the oldest wildlife sanctuary in India and it's heartwarming to see it and it's feathered inhabitants being protected and cared for by genuine people, organisations and...