Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary

Shortcut

Away from the popular tourist and party circles in Goa, nestled quietly on the small sleepy island of Chorao is the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary. Named after India’s most prominent ornithologist, Dr Salim Moizuddin Ali, this tiny piece of bird paradise is a refuge for a wide array of birds and butterflies, and naturally a paradise for all nature-lovers!

What Makes It Awesome

The sanctuary itself is spread out over some 420 acres, on the Mandovi river - the mangrove ecosystem of the area is the perfect breeding ground for varied species of local and migratory birds. To reach the sanctuary, get on a ferry from either Pomburpa or Ribander, and worry not,  you can take your car, two wheeler or bicycle on the ferries and once you're on the other side, there is a whole new world waiting for you! 

The Salim Ali BIrd Sanctuary in Goa, to its credit has a very well-maintained Nature Research Centre - where you can scour all the information you want about the birds, animals and the extensive flora and fauna the sanctuary boasts of - several exotic species of kingfishers, white egrets, purple herons, cormorants, eagles, kites, woodpeckers, and mynahs, and if you're lucky you might even spot a few other animals like marsh crocodiles, pythons and fiddler crabs that live in these marshes . No wonder, nature lovers and birders flock here in huge numbers. You'll find several serious birding groups heading to the three-storied watch tower to observe birds and their habits at length.