Tourism in and around Kotagiri:
One of the three popular hill stations in the Nilgiris besides Ooty (29 km), Coonoor (18 km), Kotagiri is your quintessential plantation. Situated at an elevation of 5,882 ft, the hill station is located in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu. The name Kotagiri means ‘mountains of the Kotas’ (the Nilgiri hills have been the traditional home of the Kota Tribe).
Kodanad View Point
Catherine Falls
Rangaswamy Peak and Pillar
John Sullivan Memorial Hall
LongWood Shola
Nehru Park
Rallia Dam
Pandiaraj Memorial Park
Birds Of Nilgiris
All the Ornithologists in the world love this place! Nilgiris refers to the Western Ghats that run through Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The region is like a Kaleidoscope changing beautifully with every season. This eco-spot is home to a huge range of Flora and Fauna some of which are endemic or indigenous to only this region. The population of Birds of Nilgiris amounts to 350, of this 18 species is threatened.
The Landscape
If you are a bird watcher or just love birds come to the Nilgiris. Nilgiris is a part of the Western Ghats and is declared as a World Heritage site by UNESCO. Twenty four mountain peaks tower the area reaching above 2000 meters.
Nilgiris encompasses 5,520 km2 area, consisting of Moist Broad leaf forest, tropical moist forests, deciduous forests, montage rain forest and dry deciduous forest. With so many landscapes it has a rich diversity of Flora and Fauna, not found anywhere else! Protected, it is home to many vivacious feathered beings, some of which are endemic to only here.
You will be amazed at the various sounds that you hear once you are here. The hills are filled with the sound of music, nay bird sounds which is even more pleasing to the ear! Within the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, 13 Important Bird Areas (IBA) have been recognized internationally.
The vibrancy of this region is exaggerated by Orange Flycatcher, Black and Orange Flycatcher and Painted Bush quail. Other equally vivacious Birds of Nilgiris are Wagtails, Skylarks, Honey Buzzard, Kingfisher, Bee-eaters, Jungle Babbler, Cuckoos, White Scavenger Vulture, Falcons, Kestrels, Night Jars, Some Orioles species, Hawks, Songbirds, Barbets, White-bellied Treepie, White Scavenger, Oriental White-eyes, Screech Owl, Bulbul, Jungle Fowl, few Pigeon species, Bonelli Eagle, Brown Hawk Owl, Gross Owl, Jungle Owlet and Black Eagle. Most of these birds are resident in Nilgiris.
Some Endemic Birds of Nilgiris such as Nilgiri Wood Pigeon, Nilgiri Flycatcher, Nilgiri Laughing Thrush, Nilgiri Blackbird populate the Shola regions. Mentioned below is a description of few of them.
Nilgiri Flycatcher
Nilgiri flycatcher is a listed among the most beautiful Birds of Nilgiris. It is mostly found on the higher Nilgiri – Anamalai ranges of Brahmagiri, Biligirragan and Bababudan. The bird is coloured indigo blue and is darker than Verditer flycatcher. The female bird has duller colours. The bird feeds on insects. It builds its nest in mosses and lichens.
This bird is a near threatened non-migratory species found at high altitudes. It has a rich brown colour with streaks on the breast and on the flanks. It builds its nest like a small cup in the grass. These birds eat seeds and insects.
Nilgiri Wood Pigeon
This bird is found in dense forests and shoal regions. Woodpigeon of the Nilgiris is also listed as a vulnerable species. It measures 35 to 40 cms in length. It feeds on buds, flowers, fruits and snails. The neck is grey and the body is purple in colour.
Nilgiri Blue Robin
This bird is also known as Nilgiri Shortwing and/or Rufous-bellied Shortwing. It is found mostly in the northern parts of Palghat Gap, the Bababudan hills and Brahmagirs. They populate the dense forest undergrowth of montane grassland. They have also been featured on the ICUN Red List.
Nilgiri Laughing Thrush
This bird lost its habitat to tea plantations. It has a distinctive call which sounds like it is laughing, hence the name. It feeds on insects, fruits, flower and nectar.
Nilgiri Black Bird
This bird is a subspecies of Indian Black Bird. They are mostly found in the higher ranges. All these birds can be found only in the Nilgiris and nowhere else. Nilgiris are divided into three broad section bird watching An elevated base a middle plateau and a high platueau. they are classified into variety categories, Generally the nilgirs birds fall in the hill bird class.
Nilgirs verditer flycathcher, Nilgirs pipit, Nilgirs house swallow, Blue Bird, Black and orange flycatcher, Bull Bull, Black Bull Bull, Game birds are hunted, Nilgirs wood pigeon, Wood cock, Lower slope, Siuthern grackle or hill myna, Shama, Blue Fly catcher, Nilgiri Blue Robin, White and Black paradise fly catcher, Bird of pary or Raptor, Bazas or Lizard hawks, buzzards, Black eagles, Bonelli's eagle, Crested serpent eagles, White bellied fishing eagles, Shikras, Kestrels, Forest eagle owls, Brown fish owl.
More serious bird watchers are advised to get hold hold of a copy of Salim Ali's Indian Hill Birds. Oxford University Press.
