Mandagadde Bird Sanctuary occupies a small island in the Tunga river about 18 km southeast of Shimoga. From July through December the island is taken over by massive breeding colonies of open-billed storks, cormorants, egrets, and herons. The noise and activity at the height of the nesting season — thousands of birds coming and going — is extraordinary.
You view the sanctuary from the river bank; boats take visitors across to observe from the water. The scene is at its best in the early morning. The surrounding landscape — the Tunga flowing through paddy fields and areca nut groves — is quietly beautiful, and the drive out from Shimoga passes through typical Malnad countryside. It is an easy half-day trip combined with a visit to the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary or Kuppalli.