Goa is not only known for its beaches, but it is famous for its flora and fauna as well. If you're someone living in Goa, you will know of its vibrant variety of aviary species. The state is home to 5% of the world’s bird species and about 50% of the bird species found in India, making it an important location for birdwatchers.

Intermediate Egret

Red Whiskered Bulbul

Asian Geen Bee Eater

The bird-lovers visiting Goa have a lot of places to choose from; Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary, Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary, Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary, Carambolim Lake, Soccorro Plateau, Morjim Beach, Curtorim Wetland Complex and Zuari are among the significant birdwatching locations here.

Purple Rumped Sunbird

Pale Billed Flowerpecker

Barn Swallow

Black Winged Stilt

Black Headed Ibis

Brahminy Kite

Oriental Magpie Robin

Gull Billed Tern

We here at GROUNDED have attempted to give you a compilation of the most commonly spotted birds in Goa, especially the regions closer to our villa projects. For anyone looking to move to Goa, check out our upcoming sustainable villa developments here.

All photographs are taken by our COO and resident wildlife and architectural photographer, Sanjeet Wahi.

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Grounded in Goa is a series that documents the everyday beauties and joys of living in Goa. For anyone looking to move to Goa, it offers a glimpse into Goa's undeniable connection with nature, a life lived in harmony with the fertile land, changing skies, and the giving waters.

Also read - What To Look For While Buying A House in Goa and Designing a House in Goa

Image sourced from the internet.

Sweet summer memories for most of us involve climbing mango trees to pluck all the fresh fruit our hands could possibly reach. The mangoes of Goa are second to none, and the state is among the producers of the highest number of varieties of this delicious summer fruit. However, one particular local Goan mango trumps all others - Mankhurad!

Also known as Goa Mankur, Kurad, Malcorado, Corado etc, Mankhurad first entered the Goan belt in the early 1600s with the Portuguese travelers. With a cultivation history that spans centuries, this Goan variety has grown to become only sweeter with time. Today, the Portuguese Malcorado, is shipped all across India for its distinct taste and finds its way to the Goan summer table as fresh fruit, as well as jams, compotes and ice creams.

Life around the Mankhurad at Navovado

We were lucky to find five full grown, fruiting, and gloriously canopied Mankhurad trees on site when we began our design-development project Navovado. We have consciously preserved the vegetation and designed a modern Goan house around these magnificent mango trees that give us fresh, bountiful harvests in the summer and are a glorious green sight for sore eyes throughout the year.

Goa’s beaches are moving works of beauty and serenity and are packed with incredible biodiversity. We are spending time today observing the textures of the in between - equally of earth and equally of sea.

Grounded in Goa is a series that documents the everyday beauties and joys of living in Goa, in harmony with the fertile land, changing skies, and the giving waters.

Goa is a goldmine of biodiversity and native forests are the crucial negotiators that tie these ecosystems together. As awareness increases about habitat loss and deforestation, people have taken the responsibility of hosting planting and re-wilding drives. The first step in this process is to identify and select native plant species which are most effective and resource efficient for natural landscaping. Native trees offer huge short term and long term benefits:

• Native trees are well-adapted to the local climate, which means they will have the best chance at survival.

• Native trees prevent population decline of the local wildlife as the animals are not forced to shift into unfamiliar habitats.

• While non-native trees might not do well up against local pests, native trees often don’t have as many pest problems because they develop symbiotic relationships with other local species.

Here are 4 popular, easy to source, and easy to plant native species of Goa:

Terminalia Elliptica or The ‘Indian Laurel’ is the State tree of Goa. A few other names of this tree are Mati, Asna, Saj, or Crocodile Bark Tree.

Terminalia bellirica is a deciduous tree that grows upto 35 m in height. It is a sun loving tree that thrives in slightly moist soils. The fruit of the tree is often celebrated for its medicinal properties.

Pterocarpus marsupium, also known as Asann and Malabar kino is a deciduous tree that can grow up to 30 m (98 ft) tall. It is native to India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. The beautiful yellow flowered tree however is currently on the list of threatened species due to dwindling numbers and needs to be revived.

Holoptelea integrifolia, also called The Indian Elm is a deciduous tree that grows upto 25m in height. It is often sourced for timber which makes cheap furniture and also used as firewood in rural parts. Its flowers, leaves and bark have medicinal uses.

Apart from this Goa has several indigenous fruit trees including jack fruit, tamarind, guava, pineapple, and kokum. While these are not advisable for highways, they are wonderfully suited for smaller city avenues, parks, city campuses, and most importantly individual residential plots.

A detailed list of Goa’s native trees can be found in this directory. These trees support a lot of insects and creepy crawlies. This post tells you how you can design to coexist with and celebrate Goa’s biodiversity.

Goa is listed among the 36 most important biodiversity hotspots in the worls. To know more about the ecological significance of this belt, you can read our blogpost on Protecting the Western Ghats here.