The Tadoba-Andhari National Park in the Chandrapur district of Maharashtra boasts as one of the fifty tiger reserves in India. It is even a part of Project Tiger. It is a flourishing wildlife reserve with various types of animals, plants, insects, and birds. The reserve covers an area of about 1700 sq. km. and is surrounded by lakes and other natural resources, specifically two lakes and one river. The forest is dense and consists of bamboo and teak. The lakes are calm and soothing and an afternoon watching the birds visiting the lake is heaven for bird lovers. There are two lakes- Lake Telia and Lake Tadoba, which are situated in the very middle of the park and are a very important resource for the residents of the reserve. Bird watching in Tadoba alongside these lakes is a great addition to anyone’s itinerary.
Introduction to Lakes of Tadoba
The two lakes are located in the upper reaches of the Agumbe Range, on the top of the sloping hills. The Telia Lake is well hidden from view. Tadoba lake is at a higher altitude of 1420m and is visible from almost any part of the park. The height of the lake is much less and the distance from the bottom to the top is just about 40 km. There are few caves on top of the mountains that are at least 600 feet in height and above the lake. However, these are not frequented by tourists. People are not aware of the importance of these lakes and the wildlife here because of their inaccessible nature. Tadoba has been declared as a sanctuary as well as a national park.
The altitude of the lake and its surroundings
Telia Lake is about 1250 meters above sea level and is one of the biggest lakes in India. It also has a 5km-long central canal that goes to the Tulghat jungle. Lake Tadoba also has a central canal that leads to the Yakkha Tiger Reserve. It is also called the tiger’s cub since it has a large number of tiger cubs. Tadoba has a majority of flamings and as it is surrounded by mountains, it attracts storks too. The birds here include white pelicans, ruddy shelducks, wood shrikes, larks, night herons, cranes, and spoonbills. The rare Tibetan vulture also inhabits these two lakes. The lakes are calm and soothing and an afternoon watching the birds visiting the lake is heaven for bird lovers.
Birds in Tadoba-Andhari National Park
Thousands of birds visit the lakes and there are nearly 100 species, including the Pelican, Ibis, Pelican, and Water Vulture (Caprimulgus centaur) in the lake zone. There are more than 800 species of birds in Tadoba National Park. Interestingly, this is a wintering area for the Red-Wattled Lapwing which reaches Tadoba in the fall and remains here till March. As many as 7,500 birds visit the lake with 30% of them being Red-wattled Lapwings. Other birds that are seen regularly include the Little Egret (Butorides virescens) and the Green Peacock (Arctophila suffusa). The females of these birds are a beautiful pink colour with more or less long tails and are easy to spot because of their brightly colored heads.
Viewing Birds in Lake Tadoba
The avian attractions in this sanctuary are varied and one needs to be very sharp with his eyes to see them, sometimes even as small as the size of our fingernail. Check out this list of Tadoba Birds. Nuthatches are always interesting and abundant in this reserve. Great Horned owls are also sighted in this part of India. There are many beautiful variations of the majestic horned owl, there is also a blue and white colored variety of the owl which is known as the red-billed Siberian owl and the bill of the owl is blue. Bird watching in Tadoba is a very intriguing experience, even for a beginner.
How to reach the Lake?
The nearest airport is Nagpur. However, it takes almost a 2-hour drive and if you have an alternate option, it can be directly boarded by road. Nagpur is 150 km from Tadoba and covers a good number of places to see and places to stay. When traveling by road, one must make sure that one has proper sunglasses to shield the eyes from the bright sun, and please be watchful of animals crossing the road. To reach the reserve from Nagpur, go via the Tatasagar Lake National Park. There is a bridge connecting the two water bodies, which connects Tadoba to the Sironcha Road. There is also a very small road leading to the villages of Nemaikonj and Mujapur.
The resorts in Tadoba are mostly close to the reserve like Red Earth Tadoba which lies on the borders of the park very close to the main gates. It is quite convenient to reach the lakes from here. Tadoba reserve is a great birdwatching destination for any nature lover. The National park is visited by migratory birds that come from various corners of the world to feed on the waterbirds. The reserve has several species of migratory birds such as waders, ruddy turnstones, reed buntings, green-winged teals and green-winged teal. The reserve is also home to over 100 species of birds. And though it is not the first reserve of this kind, it has the largest number of different types of birds in all the tiger reserves of India. This means that there are a lot of bird species to see in the reserve. The reserve has lakes, waterfalls, and other natural features that attract several species of animals and birds, which you will definitely love to visit.
