Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary – Special cover

Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary is a bird sanctuary located in Malappuram district of Kerala. The sanctuary is situated 19 km from Kozhikode and 7 km from Beypore Port. The bird sanctuary is spread over an area of clustered islands, which is surrounded by little hammocks. Kadalundi River flows through this region and joins the Arabian Sea. This place is also popularly known as Kadalundi Nagaram. The main sanctuary hill is based on a height of 200 m above sea level, from where the visitors can enjoy breathtaking views of the river and the Arabian Sea. Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary is famous for its diverse avian fauna, which include as many as hundred varieties of indigenous birds and nearly 60 species of migratory birds.

Topography
The popular tourist attractions in the vicinity of Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary are Beypore, Chaliyam and Vallikunnu. Visitors can enjoy seeing a giant Whale skeleton at Chaliyam. Like other parts of the state, this region is also divided into lowland, midland and highland. The geography of the region is highly undulating, starting from the highland areas in the east which are covered with thick forests. The topography steadily slopes down to the valleys and small hills and finally ends in the coastal plains that are dotted with coconut groves in the west. Climatic conditions of Kadalundi are similar to other regions of the state. The dry season stretches from December to February, while the hot summer season starts from March and continues until May. The South West Monsoon brings heavy rainfall to this area. This season stretches from October to November. The overall climate of the area is hot and humid, which is responsible for the diversity in vegetation and animals in Malappuram district.

Wildlife
Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary provides shelter and ideal conditions to a number of migratory birds. These birds include Terns, Gulls, Herons, Sandpipers and Cormorants, which arrive on this sanctuary in the month of November and return to their respective regions by the end of April. Some other important bird species in the sanctuary are Whimbrels and Brahminy Kites. Apart from birds, there is considerable population of different varieties of fish, mussels and crabs in the sanctuary. The sight of thousands of colorful birds flocking to a region of 2 sq. km offer a rare and captivating moment for the visitors. There are boat facilities available for tourists to enjoy the breathtaking beauty of the lush green plantation and bird population of this sanctuary. These boats provides a great way to see turtles found here. The best season to visit this sanctuary is from December to April, since it is the season for migratory birds to stay in this wildlife sanctuary.