A community reserve, Kadaludi bird sanctuary is located in Malapuram district of Kerala. Popular for its wide variety of avian fauna, the sanctuary is situated 19 km from Kozhikode and seven km from Beypore port.
Spread over just three km over a cluster of islands, the sanctuary is situated at the estuary of Kadalundi river. At a height of above 200 m above sea level, it offers marvelous views of Kadalundi river meeting the Arabian Sea.
The sanctuary is officially known as the Kadalundi-Vallikkunnu community reserve is the first community reserve in Kerala. The initiative was taken by the state forest department, it is managed by the gram panchayats of Kadalundi and Vallikuunu.
A six-member committee manages the community reserve, they are appointed by the government. The committee looks after the programmes relating to the protection of flora and fauna as well as cultural heritage structure of the locality.
The bird sanctuary is home to hundreds of native birds and 60 types of migratory birds. Birds like terns, gulls, herons, sandpiper, cormorant arrives in the sanctuary in November and return to their original habitats by end of April. The major attractions of the sanctuary are kingfisher, Malabar hornbills, woodpeckers, darters, plovers and brahminy kites.
Besides birds, tourists also spot large numbers of variety of fish, mussels and crabs in the sanctuary. It also houses several species of snakes such as the cobra, krait and the viper. One also gets to see turtles in the sanctuary.
Tourists can take a ride on the boats operated by the forest department to experience the beauty of the lush green forest and bird population.
The sanctuary is also famous for trekking, photography and various other activities. The best time to visit the sanctuary is during the early hours of December to April.
There are no accommodation options in the sanctuary. One can find accommodation options in Kozhikode, located about 19 km from the sanctuary. There are hardly any eating joints or any restaurant in the sanctuary. It would be advisable to carry food and water.The best time to visit the sanctuary is between December and April as several migratory birds arrive in the sanctuary.
The average minimum and maximum temperature of Calicut is as given below. The best time to visit Calicut is also specified.
