BIRD WATCHING
BIRD WATCHING
The fluttering and spectacular display of their magnificent feathers can bring joy and excitement in any desperate heart, buffeted by the hectic life of city life. Keeping this in mind, India is home to multitudinous varieties of colorful birds, native to the country as well as those who migrate from far – off places. Thus, India has become a hub to global Bird watchers and the hobby of bird watching has thrived in India like nowhere else. Various national parks and sanctuaries also provide lucrative offers and packages to the tourists all the year round. Armored with binoculars, if an avian enthusiast sets off to any part of India that abounds in lush vegetation, he won’t ever get disappointed because every part of India has its own special selection of birds, waiting to be explored. In this article, starting from North to the South, I have tried to cover all the important bird watching sites of India.
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Hemis National Park, Ladakh:
Situated in the Himalayas, Leh, Ladakh is one of the most diverse cold deserts of the world that is home to some of the exotic bird species of this planet. Hemis National Park situated in Leh has preserved some of the most magnificent birds native to the Himalayan Region. The Brown and white – throated Dippers, Robin Accentor, Wallcreeper, Golden Eagle mesmerize bird watchers with their magnificent glide in the azure sky of the cold desert. The Nubra valley, Pura valley are some places that house to some of the rarest bird species.
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Corbett National Park:
The national park situated in Uttarakhand is home to 530 species of birds and offers a great opportunity for bird watching. The park is famous for watching owl. The tawny fish owls, Stork – billed kingfisher, Himalayan Flameback, Red Billed Magpie attract bird watchers across the globe.
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Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary:
Located at the foothills of the Himalayas, this wildlife sanctuary is just 28 kms away from the Bagdogra Airport. The sanctuary is a safe home to the endangered species like fairy – blue birds, Himalayan pied hornbills and various species of pigeons.
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Maenam Wildlife Sanctuary:
Sikkim is a quaint state located at the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas and is a hub of vibrant bird – watching. Located about 65 km from Gangtok, capital of Sikkim, this wildlife sanctuary is famous for bird watching. It is home to the rare species of Satyr Tragopan, a type of Pheasant, native to the Eastern Himalayas. Apart from being famous for Red Panda or firefox, Sikkim is also famous for Fire – Tailed Myzornis and Brown Wood owl.
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Eagle Nest Wildlife Sanctuary:
Situated at the foothills of the Himalayas of North – East India, this sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh is one of the most diverse bird watching areas of India. It is home to about 454 species of birds. Varieties of birds like Cormorants, Herons, Kingfishers, Thrushes, Starlings, Black Necked Crane etc., are found in plenty. It is a place of eternal beauty with lush greenery and pleasant music of chirping of birds echo throughout the sanctuary.
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Ooty, Tamil Nadu:
With pleasant climate throughout the year, Ooty is the best place for bird watching in South India. The place is famous for Nilgiri Thrush, Nilgiri Flycatchers, White – bellied Shortwing.
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Kaziranga National Park:
Situated along the banks of the Brahmaputra River, this place is famous for varieties of unique species of birds. Spending time here doing bird watching is one of the best ways of rewinding and relaxing. One gets to watch the exotic species like the Collared Treepie, Scarlet – backed Flowerpecker, Ruby – cheeked Sunbird.
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Lava and Neora Valley National Park:
A beautiful and quaint hill station namely Darjeeling, located in the northern part of West Bengal is also a very good place for bird watching. Here, mountain hawks, Black Eagles can be soaring high in the blue sky. Kalij Pheasants are also native to this place. Shrike – babblers, Yuhinas, Shortwings are also found in this beautiful region.
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Pong Dam, Himachal Pradesh:
The Pong Dam or Beas Dam made over the Beas River is a popular place for migratory birds in North India. It can be called a bird watching getaway of North India. About 220 species of birds have been recorded in this place. The bar headed geese and Northern Lapwing are seen here. Ducks, egrets, cranes are also present here.
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Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh:
Located in the Dhauladhar Range of the Himalayas, Dharamshala is an optimum place for many unique birds to thrive and flourish. Koklass Pheasants, Himalayan Monals, Himalayan Snowcocks, Snow Patridges can be found in huge numbers in this area.
We offer a range of exciting bird watching tours throughout the Indian Sub-continent with all Indian birding itineraries designed for serious birdfinders as well as for the beginners.
