India's second-largest brackish-water lagoon, sheltering flamingos, pelicans, and migratory birds along the Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu border.
Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary
Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary is a protected bird sanctuary straddling the border between Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in southeastern India, with its core area falling within the Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh. The sanctuary is built around Pulicat Lake, the second-largest brackish-water lagoon ecosystem in India after Chilika Lake in Odisha, and it functions as a crucial refuge for resident and migratory waterbirds in the densely populated coastal belt of the Bay of Bengal.
The sanctuary's character is shaped by a wide, shallow lagoon, surrounding mudflats, salt pans, and patches of mangrove and coastal vegetation, creating a mosaic of feeding, roosting, and nesting habitats. It supports large flocks of greater flamingos, pelicans, painted storks, and many other aquatic and terrestrial bird species, and draws hundreds of thousands of visitors each year who come to experience its birdlife and scenic tidal flats.
Beyond its role as a destination for birdwatchers, Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary is internationally recognized through its Important Bird Area designation and is considered ecologically important for the long-term survival of several migratory waterbird populations along the eastern Indian coast. It blends ecological significance with cultural and economic relevance for the fishing communities of the lagoon.
