Birds Near Jamnagar

If you have visited Jamnagar, you will have been definitely saw many birds near highway or railway lines. The Jamnagar has a great heritage of nature. The Jamnagar city is surrounded with rich wetlands. Not only surroundings, but even in the center of city, the Lakhota lake is one of the favorite place for migratory and regional birds. There are more than 200 species of birds are recorded near Jamnagar. The hot areas for birds near Jamangar are Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary, Valsura road salt pans, a lake near Dhinchda, Lakhota lake, Ranjit Sagar, Vijarkhi Dam, Pitotan Island and Narara Island.

I am hobbiest bird watcher and seeing beautiful birds near Jamnagar from 10 years. I am writing this blog for sharing my experiences and also for information for visitors of Jamnagar.

Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary

Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary, Jamnagar

Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary is about 10Kms from Jamnagar city in North-East direction. It is approx 6 square km area which has unique ecosystem of salt water and fresh water birds. Due to its richness of birds, it was declared as sanctuary in 1982. The dam over a small river retains the fresh water and another side of dam has the creeks of salt water. The salt water area is also covered with mangroves forest. 

Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary, Jamnagar

Thousands of migratory birds lands here every year. The birds are waders, ducks, storks other wetland birds, jungle birds are found here.

I have noted following birds at Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary:

• Black Necked Stork
• Painted Stork
• Openbill Stork
• Eurasian Spoonbill

• Whimbrel
• Eurasian Curlew

• Indian Stone Curlew
• Little Egret
• Intermediate Egret
• Great Egret
• Cattle Egret
• Pond Heron
• Purple Heron
• Grey Heron
• Western Reef Egret

• Northern Shoveller
• Spot Billed Duck
• Common Pochard
• Tufted Duck
• Gadwall
• Garganey
• Eurasian Wigeon
• Northern Pintail
• Cotton Teal
• Common Coot
• Combduck
• Purple Moorhen
• Common Moorhen
• White Breasted Waterhen
• Bronze winged Jacana
• Pheasant Tailed Jacana
• Great Crested Grebe
• Little Grebe

• Black Headed White Ibis
• Black Ibis
• Glossy Ibis
• Paradise Flycatcher
• Purple Sunbird
• White-eye
• Little Green Bee-eater
• Greater Coucal
• Indian Roller

• Black Kite
• Brahmini Kite
• Black Sholder Kite
• Marsh Harrier
• Crested Serpent Eagle

• Common Crane
• Demoisele Crane

• Waders

Valsura Road Salt Pans

Lesser Flamingos at
Valsura Salt Pans

INS Valsura is just 8 Kms from Jamnagar. The surrounding area of Valsura is salt pans. The large number of flamingoes, waders, larks and gulls are found here. This place is very nice for seeing flamingos very closely. I have seen hundreds of lesser and greater flamingos here. As I am doing job at Valsura, I see the birds at Valsura regularly. This year I noted following birds at Valsura.

Deasert Wheatear at
Valsura Salt Pans

• Lesser Flamingo 
• Greater Flamingo
• Gulls 
• Avocet 
• Crested lark 
• Sykes Lark
• Ashy Crowned Sparrow Lark
• Isabelline Wheatear 
• Deasert Wheatear
• Painted Storks
• Damatian Pelican
• Black Tailed Godwits
• Bar Tailed Godwits
• Spot Billed Ducks
• Indian Stone Curlew
• Waders

Narara Island

Crab Plover at Narara Island

Narara Island is 60 Kms from Jamnagar at West. It is the part of Marine National Park. Mainly it is known for its rich marine life and coral reefs. Many shore birds are found here. The most famous birds found here is Crab Plover and Oyster Catcher. Many people has noted them here in huge numbers. Large number of flamingos and sometimes pelicans are found in salt pans which are just before Narara. I have written a blog about Narara MNP. View my blog article on Narara MNP here.



The birds I see commonly at Narara are:

• Painted Stork
• Rozy and Dalmatian Pelicans
• Crab Plover
• Oyster Catcher
• Gulls
• Terns
• Little Ringed Plover
• Sand Plover
• Ruddy Turnstone
• Whimbrel
• Eurasian Curlew
• Little Stint
• Black Winged Stilt
• Greater Coucol
• White Eye
• Little Green Bee Eater
• Crested Lark
• Sand Lark
• Ashy Crowned Sparrow Lark

Lakhota Lake

Dalmatian Pelican
at Lakhota Lake, Jamnagar

The former King of Jamnagar Shri Jamsahebji built a palace surrounded by Lakhota lake. The lake, if filled completely during monsoon, generally be filled with fresh water for full year. Pelicans, Painted Storks, Ducks and thousands of Gulls and Terns visit this lake in winter every year. 






The birds I have seen at Lakhota lake are as following,

Tufted Pochard & Common Pochard
at Lakhota Lake, Jamnagar

• Rozy and Dalmatian Pelicans
• Painted Stork
• Egrets and Herons
• Spot Billed Duck
• Tufted Duck
• Common Pochard
• Common Coot
• Northorn Shoveller
• Mallard
• Little Grebe
• Rosy Starling
• Wagtails
• Waders