Introduction
Nandi Hills is a
sparsely habited hillock in the
Chikkaballapur district of Karnataka state. It is located
about 65 km north
of central Bangalore
in the direction of Yelahanka.
Indian Scimitar Babbler
Nandi Hills rises to 1450meters from the base at 950meters and covers
an area of approximately 2 sq. kms. The
vegetation of the hills is typical of high hills. Inside the fort at
the summit, many of the large trees are planted exotics such as
Eucalyptus and the undergrowth consists of Coffea arabica along with
some native species. The forest acts as a substrate for cloud
condensation and every morning the trees are covered in water. This
allows for many moist forest species of plants and animals. The hills
are very rich in birdlife making it a very popular location for
birdwatchers and bird photographers. The evergreen forest patch on top
of the hill being a favoured wintering location for many migrant
species of warblers, flycatchers and thrushes.
The forest patch is also home for a
relict population of the Nilgiri Woodpigeon. A breeding pair of Shaheen Falcon, the resident race of the Peregrine Falcon is also
often seen at the Nandi Hills. The Malabar Whistling Thrush which are
otherwise known only from the Western Ghats ranges are also found
here. The hill slopes are the home of the Yellow-throated Bulbul, a
species endemic to the hills of peninsular India.
Nandi Hills is the source of the Penner, Ponnaiyar, Palar and Arkavathy
rivers
Nilgiri Wood Pigeon
How to reach:
Drive to Devanahalli, via Yelhanka.
3 to 4 kms after Devanahalli, take a left. Keep going straight on this road for
about 18 kms and take a left left at
the junction. Carry on till you
see a sign that says "Nandi Hills 7 kms'. Take a right
from here.
View Larger Map
Where to stay:
1. Horticultural Guest House: Tel: 2657-9231.
2. Mayura Pine Top, KSTDC: Tel: 08156-2678624.
Longitude: 77°
41.088'E;
Latitude: 13° 22.240'N
Rainfall: 625 mm - 1250 mm
Temperatures: Min 10°C;
Max 33°C
Best Season: Open through the year, the best season is March to August.
Links:
1.
Nandi Hills by Clement Francis
2.
Birds of Nandi Hills (pdf)
3.
Images by G. Raghavan
Sumit K Sen
Kolkata, India
