Photo Credits: pick of the day 2
The Salim Ali bird sanctuary is not just a haven for birds. Named after the renowned Indian ornithologist, the bird sanctuary spread over 440 acres along the beautiful banks of the Mandovi river offers a great outing for both, tourists as well as its winged visitors.
Perhaps for a visitor, the joy of visiting the sanctuary, could well begin even before you get there. The ferry ride across the Mandovi river to the mangrove-flanked Chorao island, where the bird haven is located, is fun too.
Arm yourself with a bottle of water (it can get tiring in the swampy parts of the sanctuary), a pair of binoculars and set about the sanctuary which has a wide variety of habituating birds like the striated heron, western reef heron, bitterns, red knot, jack snipe and pied avocet, mudskippers, etc. But do keep an eye on the ground around you. Because it’s a forested, swampy area, chances are you may also stumble upon flying foxes, jackals and crocodiles, as well as a variety of fish and insects.
A watch-tower in the sanctuary also offers you a great vantage point, from which to observe the aviary in the immediate vicinity. Of late the Goa Forest Department has also begun conducting guided tours for groups of bird enthusiasts.
How to get there: Located on the opposite banks of Panaji, the bird sanctuary is accessible by a river ferry from Ribandar
