About Uppalapadu Bird Sanctuary
The Uppalapadu Bird Sanctuary is located in Uppalapadu village, near Guntur city in Andhra Pradesh. Painted storks, spot-billed pelicans and other birds that migrate from distant regions use the village water tank for nesting. Incredible India (Ministry of Tourism) describes it as a weekend and picnic destination for visitors from Guntur and Amaravati, and gives 1976 as the year it was established.
The lake and its birds
According to a June 2025 report in The New Indian Express, the freshwater lake at Uppalapadu spans about 9.5 acres. It is dotted with 14 vegetated mounds across about two acres, which serve as nesting grounds; the mounds are mostly covered with Prosopis juliflora. The forest department has installed 14 artificial perching stands to support nesting. District Forest Officer M Hima Shailaja is quoted saying the habitat has been conserved with community support for over two decades.
The same report says nearly 30,000 birds of over 25 species, including spot-billed pelicans, painted storks, openbill storks, white ibises and glossy ibises, come to the lake each year between October and March from as far as Siberia, Eastern Europe, Australia and Myanmar. Counts vary widely between sources and years: an earlier Scroll report (2020) gave over 15,000 birds, while this page’s earlier text, drawn from older studies, cited about 7,000 and an earlier peak of about 12,000. Treat any single figure as a snapshot.
The spot-billed pelican (Pelecanus philippensis) is the species the site is best known for, and Scroll describes it as near-threatened. Scroll’s account says village communities helped revive the lake, painted storks began visiting in 1992 and the first pelican was sighted in 1998. A Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History study cited there recorded the breeding pelican population rising from 400 individuals in October 2007 to 1,500 in February 2008. Other birds noted in the older records include pintail ducks, cormorants, red-crested pochard, common coot, common teal and black-headed ibis. The large wire-mesh artificial trees supplied by the Forest Department were being used by pelicans for nest-making by 2009, though not in the initial years.
Conservation status
The New Indian Express reported in June 2025 that district officials had moved to notify the sanctuary as a Conservation Reserve under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, to give it legal recognition, and that the forest department planned an Environmental Education Centre in the village for student visits. Check with the Guntur forest division for the current status.
Timings to visit Uppalapadu Bird Sanctuary
06:00 AM – 07:00 PM
Timings are not confirmed on an official website; check with the temple before travelling.
Best time to visit Uppalapadu Bird Sanctuary
October – March
This matches the October-March period given in The New Indian Express report. Incredible India gives September to February as the migratory season, so birds may be present slightly earlier. Scroll notes the sanctuary is about a 15-minute drive from Guntur.
Entry Fee
Entry Fee – 10 INR
Camera – 100 INR
These fees are as listed earlier and are not confirmed on an official website; confirm at the gate.
How to Reach Uppalapadu Bird Sanctuary
By Air: Vijayawada Airport – 50 km,
By Train: Guntur Railway Station – 8.5 km, Vijayawada Junction railway station – 35.6 km,
By Bus: NTR Bus Station Guntur – 7 km, Vijayawada Bus Station – 33.5 km,
Address
Uppalapadu bird sanctuary, Near Guntur Rd, Uppalapadu, Andhra Pradesh 522509, India.
AP Official Site for Uppalapadu bird sanctuary
Also Read Place To Visit In And Around Guntur District
Uppalapadu Hotels Booking
Check hotels in Uppalapadu on Booking.com
Uppalapadu Bird Sanctuary Map
