Kulik Bird Sanctuary, Raiganj

Raiganj Wildlife Sanctuary, popularly known as Kulik Bird Sanctuary is no less than heaven to bird watchers. This haven of a huge variety of birds is located near Raiganj in the Uttar Dinajpur district of West Bengal. The sanctuary offers shelter to almost 164 species of birds and every year around 70,000 to 80,000 migratory birds visit the sanctuary. The sanctuary spanning an area of 1.30 sq. km is often claimed as the second largest bird sanctuary across Asia. The Kulik Bird sanctuary has the shape of the English alphabet “U” and is connected to River Kulik with an intricate network of artificial canals. Raiganj Bird Sanctuary with an area of 35 acres and a buffer area of 286.23 acres, is an ideal habitat for a wide array of colourful birds. The resident birds include flycatchers, kites, owls, woodpeckers, kingfishers, drongoes and many more. Apart from this, a number of migratory birds also fly here every year from the coastal areas and South Asian countries. The major migratory species include egrets, open-bill storks, black-crowned night herons, pond herons, Indian Shag, little cormorants and most importantly Asian Openbill. Apart from birds, the exotic collection of flora and the wildlife of the sanctuary is also fascinating.