Chilika Lake Wildlife Guide — Odisha
Chilika Lake is Asia's largest brackish water lagoon and one of the most important wetlands in the world. Millions of migratory birds descend here each winter, and the lake hosts India's largest congregation of Irrawaddy dolphins. Home to Flamingo, Irrawaddy Dolphin, Greylag Goose, Bar-headed Goose, Brahminy Kite. Best time to visit: Nov – Feb. See recent sightings, gate guides, packing tips and the full species checklist for Chilika Lake on Vanyamitra.
Brown-headed Gull — recorded at Chilika Lake · Photo via iNaturalist, © Rushen, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA).
Explore India's National Parks
- Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan — Bengal Tiger, Leopard, Sloth Bear
- Kaziranga National Park, Assam — One-horned Rhinoceros, Wild Buffalo, Swamp Deer
- Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand — Bengal Tiger, Asian Elephant, Gharial
- Bandipur National Park, Karnataka — Tiger, Elephant, Gaur
- Periyar National Park, Kerala — Asian Elephant, Nilgiri Langur, Lion-tailed Macaque
- Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Rajasthan — Sarus Crane, Painted Stork, 350+ bird species
- Nagarhole National Park, Karnataka — Asian Elephant, Leopard, Dhole
- Kanha Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh — Bengal Tiger, Barasingha, Wild Dog
- Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra — Bengal Tiger, Leopard, Gaur
- Gir National Park, Gujarat — Asiatic Lion, Leopard, Chital
- Mudumalai National Park, Tamil Nadu — Asian Elephant, Tiger, Leopard
- Pench Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh — Bengal Tiger, Dhole, Spotted Deer
- Satpura Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh — Tiger, Leopard, Giant Flying Squirrel
- Sundarbans National Park, West Bengal — Royal Bengal Tiger, Saltwater Crocodile
- Valley of Flowers, Uttarakhand — Himalayan Blue Poppy, Snow Leopard, Monal
- Bhitarkanika, Odisha — Saltwater Crocodile, Olive Ridley Turtle
Curated Species Collections
- Snakes of the Western Ghats — King Cobra, Russell's Viper, Malabar Pit Viper
- Big Cats of India — Bengal Tiger, Indian Leopard, Snow Leopard, Asiatic Lion
- Birds of the Himalayas — Himalayan Monal, Lammergeier, Blood Pheasant
- Small Wild Cats of India — Fishing Cat, Rusty-spotted Cat, Caracal, Jungle Cat
- Owls of India — Indian Eagle-Owl, Spotted Owlet, Brown Fish Owl, Barn Owl
- Primates of India — Hanuman Langur, Lion-tailed Macaque, Slender Loris, Hoolock Gibbon
- Kingfishers of India — Common, White-throated, Stork-billed, Pied Kingfisher
- Eagles, Hawks & Kites of India — Crested Serpent Eagle, Black Kite, Brahminy Kite, Shikra
- Woodpeckers of India — Black-rumped Flameback, Greater Flameback, Rufous Woodpecker
- Deer of India — Chital, Sambar, Barasingha, Hog Deer, Indian Muntjac
- Bears of India — Sloth Bear, Himalayan Black Bear, Brown Bear, Sun Bear
- Turtles & Tortoises of India — Indian Star Tortoise, Flapshell Turtle, Olive Ridley
- Frogs of the Western Ghats — Purple Frog, Malabar Gliding Frog, night frogs
- Butterflies of the Western Ghats — Southern Birdwing, Blue Mormon, Malabar Banded Peacock
- Snakes of India — King Cobra, Spectacled Cobra, Russell's Viper, Common Krait
- Ducks & Geese of India — Bar-headed Goose, Northern Pintail, Spot-billed Duck
- Parrots & Parakeets of India — Rose-ringed, Alexandrine, Plum-headed, Malabar Parakeet
- Pigeons & Doves of India — Emerald Dove, Green Imperial Pigeon, Spotted Dove
- Bats of India — Indian Flying Fox, fruit bats, insectivorous bats
- Squirrels of India — Indian Palm Squirrel, Indian Giant Squirrel, flying squirrels
- Wild Dogs, Foxes & Jackals of India — Dhole, Indian Fox, Golden Jackal, Indian Wolf
- Mongooses of India — Indian Grey Mongoose, Ruddy Mongoose, Small Indian Mongoose
- Crocodiles & Gharials of India — Gharial, Mugger, Saltwater Crocodile
- Geckos of India — house geckos, golden geckos, rock geckos and 150+ species
- Dragonflies & Damselflies of India — Globe Skimmer and 400+ species
- Wild Cattle & Antelope of India — Gaur, Blackbuck, Nilgai, Chinkara, Himalayan Tahr
- Sunbirds of India — Purple Sunbird, Purple-rumped Sunbird, Crimson Sunbird
- Cuckoos of India — Asian Koel, Common Hawk-Cuckoo, Greater Coucal
- Bee-eaters of India — Green, Blue-tailed, Chestnut-headed Bee-eater
- Hornbills of India — Great Hornbill, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Indian Grey Hornbill
- Pheasants & Peafowl of India — Indian Peafowl, Red Junglefowl, Himalayan Monal
- Herons & Egrets of India — Grey Heron, Cattle Egret, Indian Pond Heron
- Storks of India — Painted Stork, Black-necked Stork, Asian Openbill, Greater Adjutant
- Birds of Kerala — Malabar Trogon, Great Hornbill, Sri Lanka Frogmouth
- Birds of Goa — flamingos, kingfishers, hornbills and 400+ species
- Birds of Assam — Bengal Florican, White-winged Duck, hornbills
- Birds of Sikkim — Himalayan Monal, Blood Pheasant, Satyr Tragopan
- Mammals of Rajasthan — Bengal Tiger, Chinkara, Blackbuck, desert fox
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Vanyamitra means "friend of the forest" in Sanskrit — vanya (wild) + mitra (friend). A free field guide to everything wild in India: 42,000+ species, 20 national parks, real sightings from iNaturalist's research community.
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