We had a plan to visit Srirangapatna and Ooty and Somanathapuram and under this itinerary after visiting Srirangapatna we stayed overnight at Srirangpatna and see Ranganathathittu (popularly called rangantittu) next day and then set off for Ooty.
Cauvery Touching The KSTDC hotel in Srirangpatna
In KSTDC Mayura Riverside beautiful and very spacious hotel. My relative had already seen Rangan tittu earlier and she said that Rangan tittu is more or less like this hotel view. Anyway next day we started for Rangantittu by car. It is just 3 KM from main city of Srirangapatna. I felt it is worth visit and we spent about 3 hours at this place.
There are very small lodges very near to Rangantittu sanctuary but I think you can better stay at Mysore (25 KM) or at Srirangapatna (4 KM).
Located 25 KM from Mysore, state Karnataka,India. Nearest airport Mysore, Nearest railway station Mysore. 147 KM from Bangalore.
Here are some fotos taken during boating and knowledge gathering at the sanctuary.
History of Sanctuary establishment
History of Sanctuary Establishment : Board displayed at the bird musem in Rangan Tittu
Boating charges and Plan
It is a total of 20 minutes of boating and I think it is enough to sense the place.
Boating charges and Plan
Scenes taken while boating
Scenes taken while boating
Boating in Lake
Scenes taken while boating
Below are the listed birds which are displayed by Rangantittu administration in open for visitors. The display is really good.
Stone Plover : South east Asia, Nocturnal bird, prefers gravel banks along rivers or large lakes, eats crabs, large insects, and other animal prey
Common Peafowl : India, lives mainly on the ground in open forest or on land under cultivation where they forage for berries, grains but also prey on snakes, lizards, and small rodents
Darter : Neck is like snake so called snake bird, fresh water lakes, rivers, marshes, swamps, their long neck and bill. Live in large group, eat insects and crab
Painted stork : Uppalapadu village,Kolleru, Rangan tittu, and tourist attraction due to their large size and since lives in groups, eats fish, frogs
Pied Kingfisher : Africa and Asia. clear lakes and rivers before diving for fish make it distinctive. The pied kingfisher is estimated to be the world’s third most common kingfisher, and being a noisy bird, hard to miss.
Pond Heron : Called Bagula Bhagat or wolf in sheep’s clothing, Southern Iran and SE Asia. People think it as semi blind.
Spoon bill : Six species from black to rose colour, live in sweet or salt water lake and hours they spend on feeding only.
Indian Cliff Swallow : Also called yellow throated swallow. They spend whole life in group as they are very social.If want to search this bird explore into a rock in middle of rangan tittu lake where they have made colony.
Largpied wagtail : Adapted well to urban habitats and is often found perched on overhead water storages in residential buildings. It is found in open freshwater wetland habitats.
Night herons : stand still at the water’s edge, and wait to ambush prey, mainly at night.
Little Cormorant :
Found in India, Burma, Bangaldesh. They swim underwater to capture their prey, eats fish
Baya weaver bird : Flocks grasslands, cultivated areas, attactactive hanging bulb nest usually found on thorny trees or palm fronds and the nests are often built near water or hanging over water where predators cannot reach easily.
Malabar trogan : Srilanka, India, Eggs laid in gap of 2 days,male,female excavate the nest, eats insects
Green Bee Eater : Africa,India,Vietnam : Capable of interpreting human behavior, live in small group,eat insects
Montagu’s harrier : All world,strong wings,eats snakes,rabbit,rodents,big insects,squirrel, brreds in open specially agriculture fields
Crested Hawk Eagle : Sits on high points to have full view of field for pray, eats snakes, lizards, squirrels, domestic chickens
Great hornbill : India, South east Asia, in danger as some tribes eat it, use for medicine, beak and head for head dresses and skull for decoration
Red vented bulbul : India, Arab,Hawaii, Burma,srilanka , Indians frequently tame it and carry it about the bazaars, tied with a string to the finger.
Yellow Throated bulbul : South India, habitats on steep, rocky hills like Nandi hill,Yercaud,Horsley hills, in danger due to massive granite rock quarrying, eats insects
Indian Roller (Neelkanth) :In plains of India, related to Lord Shiva, caught and released during festivals such as Dussera and Durga Puja, eats, small reptiles,snakes
Note : All these frame fotos are taken at Rangan Tittu open gallary meant for Visitors. Thanks for such beautiful display.
Epilogue
A not to miss place when you visit Srirangapatna. A total of 170 species visit here. This is one of the 3 bird sanctuary of Karnataka. It is small yet worth visiting and well maintained. Clean and systematic. Saw many photographers, enthusiasts and student groups, one foreigner on my day of visit. Could really not locate birds except storks and sun bathing crocodiles all around.
Bird sanctuaries are not many in India
1 in J&K
1 in Punjab
3 in UP
2 in Jharkhand
1 in Bengal
1 in Chattisgarh
4 in Maharastra
2 in Gujrat
1 in Kerala
1 in Andhra
5 combined in NE states
Number may slightly vary.
