Vaduvur Bird Sanctuary

Vaduvur bird sanctuary spreads over an area of 112.638 ha, is a large human-made irrigation tank. It is situated in Needamangalam taluk, Thiruvarur district with part of the Cauvery delta and hence dependent on the release of water from Mettur dam. It is surrounded by a large bund on the southern side and a short bund on the northern side, as the elevation serves as a natural bund. Bunds help in holding the water up to a depth of 2.5 m. Four outlets and discharge canals are present. Potable groundwater is available at a depth of about 20-50m. Being a freshwater habitat, no seasonal fluctuation in salinity is observed. Interconnected by an ancient network of canals, and fed by the Mettur dam. Agriculture is undertaken around and the wetland and ground water used for irrigation. The wetland plays the primary role of buffering by acting as a sponge during events of floods and extreme rainfall. It is a major source of ground water recharge. There is significant runoff from the surrounding catchment and the wetland acts as a sink for sediments.

Salient Features

• This is one of the largest breeding water birds reserves in Tamil Nadu attracts more than one fifty thousand birds annually.
• There is a need to monitor the wetland on a regular basis to identify more important sites and understand the ecological importance of the tanks better.
• Vaduvur consists of Acacia nilotica planted by the Forest Department.
• These trees, used by birds for nesting and roosting are eventually harvested making the tank devoid of nesting habitats.
• Agriculture is undertaken around and the wetland and the ground water are used for irrigation.
• The wetland plays the primary role of buffering by acting as a sponge during events of floods and extreme rainfall.
• It is a major sourceof ground water recharge.
• There is significant runoff from the surrounding catchment area and the wetland acts as a sink for sediments.
• The wetland provides a suitable habitat for birds as per the recordings of the local and migratory bird species.

CRITERIA

Criterion 2: supports threatened species such as spot-billed pelican (nt), painted stork (nt) , black-headed ibis (nt) and oriental darter breed (nt).
Criterion 3: supports plants (56), butterflies (55), odonates (8), fish (7), amphibians (5), reptiles (12), birds (170) and mammals (8) maintaining the biological diversity of the bio geographical region.
Criterion 4: supports bird species like oriental darter (nt), black headed ibis (nt), great cormorant (lc) and greater egret (lc) at critical stage of their life cycle.
Criterion 5: supports more than 20,000 water birds which includes both resident and migratory birds such as ibises, egrets, herons, storks, pelican, ducks, cormorants, small waders and other water birds.
Criterion 6: supports 1% population of black headed ibis (nt).