Bird Walk at Kanke Dam , Ranchi, Jharkhand
- Jharkhand
- 4 October, 2026
- Amresh Kumar
About Kanke Dam
On Ranchi’s northern edge, Kanke Dam spreads a wide sheet of water across the rolling Chota Nagpur Plateau, beneath the rocky slopes of Gonda Hill, where the city’s Rock Garden looks down over the reservoir. Built in the 1950s as a key source of drinking water, the reservoir also supports irrigation and fisheries and is one of Ranchi’s favourite places to relax. Its shoreline mixes open water, shallow muddy bays, reedy and weedy margins, grassy banks, laterite rock, and patches of sal, mahua and other native trees. Fish, frogs and dragonflies are abundant, and the surrounding farmland and scrub add to the mosaic.
For birders, Kanke Dam is one of the most rewarding wetlands in Ranchi. Three kinds of kingfisher hunt along its edges. Jacanas and whistling-ducks gather on the weedy bays, and cormorants, grebes and herons work the open water. Grassland birds such as cisticolas and munias fill the banks, and in winter migrant ducks and waders arrive. But the reservoir is under strain. Untreated sewage from growing neighbourhoods feeds algal blooms and weeds. Siltation reduces its depth, and encroachment in the catchment is shrinking the land that feeds it. Litter and disturbance along the popular shoreline add to the pressure. Researchers have recommended planting forest in the catchment, keeping wetland buffers and reed beds, and involving the local community in caring for the reservoir, so that Kanke Dam stays healthy for both the city and its birds.
Bird Guide: Amresh Kumar
A Ranchi-based birdwatcher and ecologist with a Zoology background and 2 years of experience, actively engaged in bird monitoring, community outreach, and citizen science initiatives.
Bird walk Location
Common birds of Kanke Dam
Kanke Dam is a great place to see kingfishers, with three species hunting the same shoreline. The Pied Kingfisher hovers high over the water before diving straight down. The tiny Common Kingfisher streaks low along the bank in a flash of turquoise. The White-throated Kingfisher calls loudly from a waterside perch. The Pheasant-tailed Jacana, among the most elegant waterbirds in India, walks across floating leaves on long toes, and in the breeding season it trails a sweeping tail. Flocks of Lesser Whistling-Ducks whistle softly as they fly in, and the Red-naped Ibis, glossy black with a crimson patch on its head, probes the damp banks. Indian Cormorants fish in groups, and Little Grebes vanish below the surface in a blink. Indian Pond-Herons, Little Egrets and Eastern Cattle-Egrets hunt the shallows, while White-breasted Waterhens and Eurasian Moorhens slip through the reeds. Common Sandpipers bob along the rocks, White-browed Wagtails flick their tails, and Red-wattled Lapwings sound the alarm. On the grassy banks, the Zitting Cisticola makes its “zit-zit” song flight, Scaly-breasted Munias feed in flocks, and the Oriental Magpie-Robin sings from the bushes.
Pheasant-tailed Jacana
Red-naped Ibis
Lesser Whistling-Duck
Pied Kingfisher
Common Kingfisher
White-throated Kingfisher
Indian Cormorant
Little Grebe
Indian Pond-Heron
Little Egret
Eastern Cattle-Egret
White-breasted Waterhen
Eurasian Moorhen
Common Sandpiper
Red-wattled Lapwing
White-browed Wagtail
Asian Green Bee-eater
Zitting Cisticola
Scaly-breasted Munia
Oriental Magpie-Robin
Summary of Walk
On 4 October, guide Amresh Kumar led a bird walk at Kanke Dam, on the Patra Gonda Dam side in Ranchi, in collaboration with Ataavi Bird Foundation as part of the 72nd National Wildlife Week celebrations. Nine participants joined the walk, most of them fresh birders eager to learn, while two had intermediate experience but were new to Ranchi. Amresh began by introducing the basics of birding, including bird identification, calls, behaviour and habitats, giving everyone a strong foundation. The group recorded around 20 species, and the checklist was created through the Ataavi Bird Application, along with Ataavi Moments to capture memories of the day. Some memorable highlights included the White-throated Kingfisher, glowing in the morning light, and the impressive food-catching skills of the Black Drongo, which darted out from its perch to snatch insects in mid-air. The group also watched a Eurasian Moorhen diving into the water, and saw species such as the White-breasted Waterhen and the Coppersmith Barbet, a bird whose steady call sounds like a hammer striking metal. Little Swifts and Barn Swallows rounded out the highlights, sweeping through the sky in fast and agile flight and showing just how masterfully they hunt in the air. The participants were highly curious and excited to learn about birds, their behaviour and birdwatching techniques, and the lively questions kept the guide on his toes. It was a wonderful morning of observation, learning and connecting with nature during Wildlife Week, and a heartening example of how a love for birds can bring a whole new group of people together.
Number of Participants
0
