By M.K. Saptha Girish, Naturalist, Aranya Outreach

Mysuru, renowned as a wildlife hub, is encircled by forests in all directions within an 85-km radius. True to this, Mysuru is also an important bird area, with over 300 bird species recorded in and around the city by the Mysore Nature Group.

Key birding hotspots in Mysuru include Kukkarahalli Lake, Karanji Lake, Lingambudhi Lake, Thipayyanakere and, notably, Chamundi Hill.

Chamundi Hill, an isolated range of seven hillocks, is one of Mysuru’s most prominent landmarks. Visible from all corners of the city, it consists of grey and pink granite, believed to be the youngest rock formation in the region, formed due to volcanic activity around 0.8 billion years ago.

Once barren with sparse vegetation, the Hill has transformed over time, thanks to plantations and naturally growing deciduous trees. Today, it supports tropical deciduous thorn-scrub vegetation and is protected as the Chamundi Hill Reserve Forest under the  Forest Department.

Currently, this forest is home to 193 bird species, based on 30 years of data compiled by the Mysore Nature Group. Among them, 135 species are resident birds, including the Red Avadavat, Purple Sunbird and Brahminy Kite.

The area also hosts globally near-threatened aquatic species like the Painted Stork, Spot-Billed Pelican, and Black-Headed Ibis.

Chamundi Hill serves as a strategic vantage point for observing migratory, roosting and breeding birds that frequent lakes such as Kukkarahalli, Lingambudhi, Karanji, Dalavoy and Shettihalli, located 2-6 km away.

Darters, Pelicans, Painted Storks and Ducks occasionally rest in the foothill water bodies surrounding the hill. Some migratory species recorded here are rarely found elsewhere in Mysuru taluk.

During winter, rare migratory birds from the Western Ghats, the Himalayas and beyond visit the hill. Notable species traveling from the Himalayas to escape harsh winters include the Blue-Capped Rock-Thrush, Indian Blue Robin and Asian Brown Flycatcher.

Meanwhile, birds like the Indian Pitta, Indian Golden Oriole, Orange-Headed Thrush and Black Eagle arrive from the Western Ghats. Others, such as the Brown Shrike, Rosy Starling and Common Sandpiper, migrate from Northern Asia and Mongolia to South Asia, including India.

However, some birds previously recorded here, like the Yellow-Throated Bulbul and Indian White-Backed Vulture, are now absent, highlighting the impact of environmental changes and unscientific development on Chamundi Hill.

With urban expansion encroaching on green spaces, pockets like Chamundi Hill serve as crucial refuges for Mysuru’s dwindling birdlife and biodiversity. Preserving these areas in their natural state and ensuring ecologically sensitive development is essential to maintaining the ecological balance of our historic city, Mysuru.