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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox protected area
| name = Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary
| iucn_category = IV
| image = Waterfowls in Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary JEG3092.jpg
| image_caption = View of Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary
| map = India Tamil Nadu#India
| relief = 1
| mapframe = Yes
| location = Ariyalur, Tamil Nadu, India
| nearest_city = [[Thanjavur]]
| coordinates = {{coord|10|58|13|N|79|02|29|E|display=inline,title}}
| area = 4.54 km²
| established = April, 1989
| governing_body = [[Ministry of Environment and Forests]], [[Government of India]]
| website =
}}

The '''Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary''' is a {{convert|4.537|km2|adj=on}} protected area and [[Ramsar site]], located in the [[Ariyalur District]] of the state of [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]. The sanctuary is about {{Convert|25|km}} from [[Thanjavur]] and about {{Convert|21|km}} from [[Ariyalur]]. This freshwater lake is fed by Pullambadi, Kattalal canal and attracts thousands of birds every year. This lake was declared as a sanctuary in 1999<ref>{{Cite web|title=KARAIVETTI BIRD SANCTUARY {{!}} Ariyalur District, Government of Tamil Nadu {{!}} Land of Cements {{!}} India|url=https://ariyalur.nic.in/tourist-place/karaivetti-bird-sanctuary/|access-date=2021-09-05|language=en-US}}</ref> by the Government of Tamil Nadu and in 2024, it became a Ramsar site.<ref>{{Cite news |last=PTI |date=2024-01-31 |title=Five more Indian wetlands added to Ramsar list |url=https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/five-more-indian-wetlands-added-to-ramsar-list/article67795594.ece |access-date=2024-03-02 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> About 200 birds are species recorded from this sanctuary.<ref>Relton, A. & A.Moses (1997). Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary – A Paradise of waterfowls near Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu. J. Ecobiol. 9(1):75-76.</ref><ref name="auto1">Gokula, V., 2013. Avifauna of Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu, India. Zoos’ Print 28: 23–29</ref> Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary is one of the Important Bird Areas (IBA's) of Tamil Nadu (Code No. IN268, Criteria: A1, A4i, A4iii).<ref name="auto">Islam, M.Z. & A.R. Rahmani (2004). Important Bird Areas in India: Priority sites for conservation. Indian Bird Conservation Network: Bombay Natural History Society and Birdlife International (UK).Pp.xviii+1133</ref><ref name="auto3">BirdLife International (2017) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Karaivetti Wildlife Sanctuary. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 23/06/2017.</ref>

Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary is home to migratory birds such as [[bar-headed goose]], [[Northern pintail]], [[white stork]], [[Northern shoveler]], [[Garganey]], [[blue-winged teal]], [[osprey]] and [[common sandpiper]].<ref>Relton, A.;Gelderloos, O.;Linda, 1997. Osprey in Karaivetti Lake near Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu. Newsletter for Birdwatchers. 37: (4) 68.</ref><ref name="auto1"/>

The sanctuary is a large irrigation tank located in the northern alluvial plains of the [[Kaveri|Kaveri river]]. It is fed during the [[Monsoon|northeast monsoons]] by the Pullambadi canal. It is also referred to together with another nearby tank and called Vettakudi-Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary.<ref name="auto2">Subramanya, S. 2006. Heronries of Tamil Nadu. Indian Birds. 1: (6) 126–140 (2005)</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tamilnadu-favtourism.blogspot.com/2015/10/karaivetti-bird-sanctuary-ariyalur.html|title=Tamilnadu Tourism: Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary, Ariyalur|date=1 November 2015}}</ref><ref name="auto3"/> Farm lands especially paddy, sugarcane, cotton, castor and maize are surrounded by this lake and irrigated from this lake. [[Acacia nilotica]] planted inside the lake is serving as a major nesting site for birds.<ref name="auto2"/>

During winter, the total number of birds recorded is between 20,000 and 60,000, mostly Anatidae.<ref name="auto"/> Globally threatened species such as [[Greater Spotted Eagle]], [[Oriental Darter]], [[Black-headed ibis]] and [[Spot-billed Pelican]] were reported in this site <ref>Relton, A. (1998) Threatened birds of Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary, Tiruchirapalli-Tamil Nadu. Newsletter for Birdwatchers 38: 21- 22.</ref><ref>Santhakumar, B.;Ali, A. Mohamed Samsoor;Arun, P. R. 2016. Status of Greater Spotted Eagle Clanga clanga in Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry, India. Indian BIRDS. 11: (3) 71–74. http://indianbirds.in/pdfs/IB_11_3_SanathkumarETAL_GreaterSpottedEagle.pdf</ref>
Karaivetti is one of the important active [[Heronry|heronries]] in Tamil Nadu.<ref name="auto2"/> [[Spot-billed Pelican]], [[Black-headed ibis]], [[Painted Stork]], [[Oriental Darter]], [[Eurasian Spoonbill]] are some of the birds species breeding in this sanctuary<ref>Gokula, V. 2011. Breeding biology of the Spot-billed Pelican ( Pelecanus philippensis ) in Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu, India. Chinese Birds. 2: (2) 101–108.</ref><ref name="auto1"/>

Other fauna inhabit this region are [[Golden Jackal]], [[Black-naped hare]], [[Indian grey mongoose]] and nearly 15 species of fish were reported <ref>Islam, M.Z. & A.R. Rahmani (2004). Important Bird Areas in India: Priority sites for conservation. Indian Bird Conservation Network: Bombay Natural History Society and Birdlife International (UK).Pp.xviii+1133</ref>
Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary attracts birdwatchers mainly during the winter season. Interpretation centre explaining the importance of the wetland and waterfowl of this sanctuary was established and opened for public in 2015.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/interpretation-centre-near-ariyalur-coming-up/article8181254.ece | title= Interpretation Centre near Ariyalur coming up | date=2 February 2016 | newspaper=[[The Hindu]]| accessdate=6 July 2020}}</ref>

The Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary had been declared as a Ramsar site - A Ramsar site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention,[1] also known as "The Convention on Wetlands", an international environmental treaty signed on 2 February 1971 in Ramsar, Iran, under the auspices of UNESCO. It came into force on 21 December 1975, when it was ratified by a sufficient number of nations. It provides for national action and international cooperation regarding the conservation of wetlands, and wise sustainable use of their resources.[1] Ramsar identifies wetlands of international importance, especially those providing waterfowl habitat.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* http://ibcn.in/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Tamil-Nadu.pdf
* https://www.forests.tn.gov.in/pages/view/karaivetti_bs
* http://tamilnadu-favtourism.blogspot.in/2015/10/karaivetti-bird-sanctuary-ariyalur.html
* https://ebird.org/ebird/hotspot/L1114340

{{Commons category|Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary|position=left}}

==Gallery==

<gallery>
File:Bar headed geese Anser indicus in flight in Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary JEG3183.jpg|Bar headed geese (''Anser indicus'') in flight in Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary
File:Birdwatchers in Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary JEG3035.jpg|Birdwatchers in Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary
File:Board saying Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary photographed in 2014 IMG 0782.jpg|Board saying Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary
File:Interpretation Centre at Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary JEG3189.jpg|Interpretation Centre at Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary
File:Greater Spotted Eagle Clanga clanga from Karaivetti Birds Sanctuary JEG3095.jpg|Greater Spotted Eagle (''Clanga clanga'') from Karaivetti Birds Sanctuary
File:Common Buzzard Buteo buteo vulpinus in flight from Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary IMG 0775.jpg|Common Buzzard (''Buteo buteo vulpinus'') in flight from Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary
File:Cormorants and waterfowls in Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary JEG3094.jpg|Cormorants and waterfowls in Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary
</gallery>{{Protected areas of Tamil Nadu}}
[[Category:Bird sanctuaries of Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Important Bird Areas of India]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:1989 establishments in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 1989]]
[[Category:Ramsar sites in India]]

Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary - Revision history

All Singers Music Production at 23:55, 22 February 2026