River islands are the important habitat for ground nesting colonial birds. Many colonial nesting water birds such as terns, pratincoles and stilts are known to breed on islands in backwaters of Ujani dam of Bhima river. We surveyed 45 km length and 100 sq/km stretch of Bhima river backwater and selected six islands for three years of monitoring from year 2014-2016. A total of six bird species, including River Tern Sterna aurantia, Little Tern Sterna albiforns, Small Pratincole Glareola lactea, Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum, Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus and Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus were recorded nesting on the islands. We observed these islands get exposed in late winter season and usually get encroached by humans for various purposes such as agriculture, tourism and fishing resulting into loss of vital nesting opportunities for the birds.