New bird-watching cabin highlights biodiversity in Khammam forests
The forest department has set up a bird-watching cabin at Puligundala to promote eco-tourism and conservation, highlighting rich biodiversity, improved visitor facilities, and plans to expand infrastructure in the forest area.
Khammam: Taking a significant stride towards promotion of wildlife conservation and eco-tourism, the district forest department has established a dedicated bird-watching cabin at the picturesque Puligundala ecotourism site.
Puligundala project located in Kanakagiri reserve forest block spread in Khammam and Kothagudem districts is credited with rich biodiversity and ecological distinctiveness. As many as 65 bird species have been identified in the forest spread over 20, 000 hectares.
The facility has been designed and set up to allow the nature lovers, researchers as well as birdwatchers to observe birds, their habitats, lifestyles and behaviours through glass windows of the cabin with the help of binoculars or cameras.
The visitors could enjoy the aesthetic pleasure the birds offer, all without causing any disturbance or harm to the birds’ natural environment or the surrounding ecosystem, said the District Forest Officer Siddharth Vikram Singh.
The Telangana forest department invites all nature lovers to come and enjoy the scenic beauty of Puligundala and to join hands in the conservation of our natural heritage, the DFO added.
The cabin is constructed close to a pond near Hastala Veeranna statue on Puligundala- Bendalapdu route. It was at the pond Blue-eared Kingfisher is first sighted in Telangana, informed Puligundala deputy forest range officer Suresh Kumar.
Black-winged Pike, Rufous Woodpecker, White-rumped Munia, Blue-throated Blue Flycatcher and Black-rumped Shama are the bird species one could find in the forests. Another site has also been identified to set up a second bird-watching cabin, he said.
It might be noted that as part of the eco-tourism initiative launched in 2025, the district forest department along with the district administration has developed trekking trails, view points and selfie-points besides forest safari in the forest area.
The department recently developed four luxury eco-tourist cottages with air-conditioning, two non-luxury tent houses to promote eco-tourism and a canteen. Arrangements also made for night camping with a provision to pitch as many as 40 tents at a time.
