General Information
- State - Uttar Pardesh
- District - Gautam Buddh Nagar
- Area 400 ha
- Altitude - 200 msl
- Rainfall - 660 - 670 mm
- Temperature - 4° to 46° C
- Biogeographic zone - Semi Arid
- Habitat - Freshwater swamp
- Established - 1990
More about Okhla Bird Sanctuary
Among nearly 319 species of birds found here, around more than 50 % are migratory birds coming from Tibet, Europe and Siberia who come here for their winter migration. Soon after the arrival of the winter season in Novemner, the arrival of migratory birds starts and with the onset of the summers around March, those visitors start flying back to their own land.
Flora and Fauna
Several migratory birds visit the sanctuary in large numbers in winters with the commonest being the Northern Shoveller Anas Clypeata and Gadwall Anas strepera. The Northern Pintail Anas acuta and Ruddy Shelduck Tadors ferruginea, the rare migratory birds like the Garganey Anas querquedula, Common Shelduck Tadora tadorna, Comb Duck Sarkiodiornis melantos are also seen occasionally. Other commonspecies include the Common Teal Anas crecca, Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula, Common Pochard Aythya ferina, Greylag Goose Anser anser and the Bar-headed Goose Anser indicus. The resident Spot billed Duck Anas poecilorhyncha is abundant. There are several other bird species like mynas, drongos, babblers, francolins, peafowl, bee eaters etc are also seen commonly along the bund.
Other animals
The place abunds in fish like katla, rohu, mrigal, channa, singada etc. There are mammals like neelghais, jackals, mongooses, rats & mice along with reptiles like turtles, tortoises, geckos, monitor lizards, garden lizards, rat snakes, vine snakes, water snakes and also amphibians like toads and frogs.
Flora
The common tree species are Acacia nilotica, Acacia modesta, acasia lebbeck, Dalbergia sissoo, Zixyphus mauritiana, Ficus bengalensis and Ficus glomerata. There are many medicinal herbs and shrubs like aak, punanrnava, bhringanath, arandi etc .