Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary

Introduction

• Named after the village – ‘Nelapattu’, located just adjoining in the Sanctuary in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh is this wetland mainly for migratory water birds.
• The farmers of Nelapattu and their bird visitors have a symbiotic relationship.
• The bird ‘Guano’ (waste matter) acts as a natural fertilizer to the crops and the villagers in turn protect the birds.

Uniqueness

• The largest breeding ground for the Grey pelicans in South East Asia, with approximately 1,500 pelicans breeding every year. 
• The local people of Nelapattu, Muchalagunta, Mylangam, etc; protect the birds as “celestial birds”, as their arrival brings good rains and good crops.

Forest Type

• Southern Dry Evergreen Scrub, Barringtonia swamp forests, Grassland and wetland.

Flora

• Plants like Buchnania angustifolia, barringtonia actutangula, Acacia arabica, Albizzia amara, Borassus flabellifer, Euphorbia antiquorum, etc; are a few of the dominant species in this wetland Sanctuary.

Fauna

• Scorpion fish, Cat fish, Fresh water silark; etc; account for the amazing fish fauna.
• The birds also feed on prawns found in the water.
• Spot billed pelican, Grey frigate bids, Black bittern, Lesser whistling teal, Black capped kingfisher, Whimbrel, Painted snipe, Spotted sand piper, Gull billed tern, Orange breasted green pigeon, Indian pitta, Loten’s sunbird, Ashy minivet, Shama, etc; are to name a few. 
• The mammalian life is represented by Jackal, Black napped hare, Jungle cat, etc.