If you love birdwatching, you know that finding good spots in the cities can be tough. And travelling distances every time you want to pick up your binoculars and cameras to see some winged creatures is not a feasible option. So, we’ve curated a list of spots you can go birdwatching near Mumbai if you’re in the city or are visiting. By Anushka Goel
7 spots for birdwatching near Mumbai
Karnala Bird Sanctuary
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Karnala Bird Sanctuary is among the first areas in and around the country’s financial capital to have received protected status, mainly due to its bird population. The place is a great spot to visit early morning if you want to watch some birds in their natural habitat. Some of the commonly spotted creatures here include the grey-fronted green pigeon, Indian pitta, oriental dwarf kingfisher, along with some rare birds such as ashy minivet and slaty-legged crake.
Distance from Mumbai: 47 kilometres
Uran
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Uran, in Maharashtra’s Navi Mumbai, is a great place for birdwatching near Mumbai due to its variety of landscapes, which attracts various types of birds and creatures. The area mainly has the Jasai wetlands and the Panje Uran Birding Ground, where enthusiasts can click some avian creatures in their element. Some of the birds that have been seen here in the past include the Indian skimmer, Asian desert warbler, the bristled grassbird and the Caspian plover.
Distance from Mumbai: 46 kilometres
Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary
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Tungareshwar is known for its waterfall and the Shiva temple, and its forests make it a great spot to go birdwatching near Mumbai. It is also a corridor that links the Sanjay Gandhi National Park with the Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary and is a fantastic spot for birdwatchers. Some of the birds you can see here include the Asian paradise flycatcher, racket-tailed drongo, and brown-headed barbet.
Distance from Mumbai: 55 kilometres
Matheran
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Located a couple of hours from Mumbai, Matheran is approachable by road and is a great spot to visit to witness some forest birds, as well as those native to the Western Ghats and the region in general. It makes for a great day picnic spot if you’re visiting with friends and family, too! Some of the species you can spot here include the Nilgiri wood pigeon, Malabar whistling thrush, white-cheeked barbet, brown wood owl, and the Indian blue robin, a migratory bird you can spot in the winters.
Distance from Mumbai: 83 kilometres
Sanjay Gandhi National Park
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One of the most popular spots for birdwatching near Mumbai, the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), is a roughly 100 square kilometre haven for nature lovers to come and revel in the natural beauty. An added feature, which is in fact the reason it gets so many visitors, is the number of birds one can spot here, making it a great place for people to come and watch the avian creatures in action! Some of the species one can spot here include barbets, sunbirds, orioles, flycatchers and woodpeckers.
Distance from Mumbai: 23 kilometres
Gogte Saltpans, Vasai
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It’s tough to find wetlands in an expanding city, but the Vasai-Virar area is still home to a large number of wetlands and saltpans, which offer views of nature and several birds – both native and migratory. Some of the species you can spot here include oriental skylark, greater short-toed and Rufous-tailed larks, and pipits.
Distance from Mumbai: 56 kilometres
Maharashtra Nature Park
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Reclaimed from a landfill, the Maharashtra Nature Park (earlier Mahim Nature Park) is right next to Dharavi and is home to a large variety of flora and fauna. The avian creatures at this birdwatching spot include a variety of butterflies and birds such as the laughing dove, shikara, greater coucal, great egret, purple sunbird, Eurasian wry neck, little green bee-eater, barn swallow, black kite and more.
Distance from Mumbai: 4 kilometres
Hero and Featured Image: Courtesy of Amit Chang/Unsplash
Anushka Goel
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