Forest and Wildlife Department,

Okhla Bird Sanctuary

The Okhla Bird Sanctuary is situated in Ghaziabad near New Delhi, in-between Okhla Barrage on the river Yamuna and Okhla wier. With an aim to safeguard the hundreds of local and migratory birds and provide a safe sanctuary for their breeding, the area around the Water body was taken up and developed as a tourist spot and thus the Okhla Bird Sanctuary was declared and brought into existence in 1990.Kalindi Kunj, to the south of Okhla Bird Sanctuary, is a very blissful and enjoyable place in its serene surroundings and natural bounty.

Out of the around 250 species of birds sighted in this area , 160 species are of migratory birds coming all the way from Tibet, Europe and Siberia for their winter sojourn.

With the onset of winters, these migratory birds start coming in from the month of November and as soon as the summers set in, they start flying back to their homes. Their stay is for nearly 3-4 months from November to March which is also the appropriate time for bird lovers to visit the sanctuary.

Migratory Birds – Geese, Teal, Coot, Pin-tail, Spot-Bill, Pochard, Pelican, Shovler, Gadwal,s Mallard and many more.

Local Migratory Birds

Comb duck, Coots, Lesser whistling teal, Northern pintail, Bar headed goose, Common shell duck, Marbled duck, Pond heron, Open billed stork,  Grey lag goose, Sarus crane, Egrets, Flamingos, Great white pelican, Cormorants, Cranes, White spoonbill, Black naked stork, Peafowl, Cuckoos, Darters, White breasted kingfisher, Sandpipers, Common teal. Gadwall, Mallard, Spot billed duck, Common pilchard, Red crested pochard, Ruddy shelduck, Wigeon, Painted stork, Tufted duck, Tufted pochard, Lesser adjutant, etc.

Aquatic Animals

Turtles, Water Snakes.

Fishes

Rohu, Catla, Mackeral [Bhangur] etc.

Trees and Plants

Sheesham [Rosewood] , Babool [Acacia catechu] , Gul Mohar [Delonix regia], Amaltash [Cassia fistula], Cassia Semea, Salix, Bottle Brush, Peepal [Ficus religiosa], Bargad [Banyan / Ficus benghalensis] etc.