Thattekad Bird Sanctuary, Bird sanctuary in Kerala, India.

Thattekad Bird Sanctuary covers 25.16 km2 in the Western Ghats, where Ernakulam and Idukki districts meet, with the Periyar River flowing through it and the Idamalayar joining the Periyar inside the area. Elevation runs from 35 m to 523 m at Njayapilli hill. Three forest types occur: evergreen, semi-evergreen and moist deciduous, alongside teak and mahogany plantations. About 330 bird species are recorded, from 7-gram birds to 3.5-kg ones; peafowl are absent.

Salim Ali recommended turning Thattekad into a bird sanctuary as early as the 1950s, and a survey he carried out there in the 1970s sped up the process. The sanctuary was formally established on 27 August 1983 and named in his honour. It lies across the eastern part of Ernakulam district and the western part of Idukki district.

The name Thattekkad means "flat forest" in Malayalam, describing the low, level terrain beside the Periyar River. The sanctuary is named after ornithologist Salim Ali, who surveyed the area in the 1970s and had recommended protection as early as the 1950s. A section known as "Cuckoo Paradise" is home to drongo cuckoos, easily mistaken for drongos, and the loud Indian hawk cuckoo.

The forest department allows entry for birdwatching between six in the morning and four in the afternoon, and its own guides are arranged on site. Dormitories are available for those who need to stay, and the information centre holds photographs of birds, eggs and stuffed animals, plus a library of bird books. The main gate into the forest was temporarily closed by the department. The sanctuary lies 60 km from Ernakulam and 42 km from Nedumbassery airport; buses run from Aluva to Kothamangalam, from where another bus reaches Thattekad.

The sanctuary is home to the Ceylon Frogmouth, a nocturnal species that remains completely still on branches during the day and resembles dry wood through its plumage and body shape. This camouflage protects the bird from predators and makes it nearly invisible to visitors, even when resting just meters away.