Sprawl over an area of 3 sq km, Nawabganj
bird sanctuary is a bird sanctuary situated at Unnao District, on the
Lucknow-Kanpur National Highway in Uttar Pradesh State. Approximately
250 species of resident and migratory birds are found here.
Surrounded by a shallow lake bordered with mixed dry
forest, Nawabganj bird sanctuary is an ideal site for bird watching and
photography. Spread over an area of 3 sq.km, around 250 species of migratory
birds mostly from CIS countires can be seen during the winter season,
but the numbers have been reducing and most having relocated to Himachal
Pradesh and Rajasthan. In order to promote proper protection and conservation
to the resident and migratory birds, the Nawabganj lake and its surrounding
areas were declared the Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary in 1984.
The sanctuary provides an information center for visitors
to enhance the knowledge of visitors about birds, their behavior and habitats.
The centre has provision to show documentaries associated to wildlife.
The sanctuary can be visited all year round, but the best season to watch
the migratory birds is from November to March.
The lake is the breeding ground for fishes like Katla,
Mangur, Saul, Sindhi, Kavai etc. The travellers can also catch a glimpse
of reptiles, such as, Cobra, Viper, Krait, Ratsnake and Water snake. The
flora of the Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary includes Acacia, Arjun, Kanji, Siras,
Neem, Bargad, Eucalyptus, Gulmohar and some water plants.
The avian population here comprises a mix of residents
as well as migratory birds. The sanctuary attracts migratory birds from
Himalayas from Tibet, China, Europe and Siberia. Greylag Goose, Pintail,
Common teal, Cotton teal, Red Crested pochard, Brahmini duck, Gadwall,
Shoveller, Wigeon, Coot and Mallard etc. are some of the migratory birds
found in the Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary. Besides these Spotwill, Sarus crane,
Painted Stork, White Ibis, Black Ibis, Dabchick, Whistling teal, Open
billed stork, White necked stork, Black necked stork, Spoon bill, Pheasant
tailed jacana, Broze winged Jacana, Purple moorhen, White breasted water
hen, Indian Moorhen, Grebe, Cormorant Darter, Lapwing, Egret, Purple heron,
Pond heron, Stone curlew, King fisher, Night jar, Tern vulture, Kite,
Partridge, Hawk, Koel, Dove, Pigeon, King crow, Baya, Muniya, Golden oriole,
Barbet. Babler, Indian roller, Bee eater, Parakeet, Drongo, Hoopoe, Finch,
Peacock, Brain fever bird, Comb duck etc. are the local birds.
Besides these, there is a small deer park comprising
spotted deer with curved horns and barking deer. Two walking trails, eastern
and western, have been constructed to facilitate bird watching and platforms
and benches are also placed for rest.
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Wildlife 
