Key Birding Areas in India
With the intense diversity in wildlife species, India has successfully made a natural home for all of them. From 1300 bird chirps, to the mighty Tiger roar, all key birding areas in India pays homage to these beautiful beings, in its own little way. Listed below are a few parks in India, that we feel are best for avid bird watchers. It includes the wetlands of Keoladeo, the mangroves of Sunderbans and even the snow-capped range of Kanchenzdonga. Each of these has a key species list to essentially help you with creating your own birding checklist while on adventure. They offer a plethora of viewing options ranging from hiking to traversing these bio-diverse regions either by motorboat, canoe or open jeep safaris.
Observing birds is fun in any case, be it the ‘resident’ species or the ‘guests’ – some so small that they are hard to spot while other flaunt their plumes with full pride; some are diffident; others are masters of mimicry; while some species are literally teetering on the edge of extinction. Wandering and navigating through different areas within the subcontinent while seeking feathered denizens is an extremely fulfilling feat. It leaves most enthusiasts glued to their binoculars as they tick off checklists within days. There are very few sights that delight the senses as much as birds. They are one of the many gifts that nature has bestowed upon us.
Best Birding Areas in India
Andaman
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a cluster of 300 or so islands located in the Bay of Bengal. It lies in the South-East direction relative to India to the West of Myanmar. Though the archipelago has numerous islands, around 90% are uninhabited, and tropical rainforests…
Rajasthan
India’s most famous bird-watching site has been Keoladeo – Ghana National Park or Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary. This small wetland of 29 sq. km provides feeding and nesting grounds to over 400 bird species and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ramsar Site as well as…
West Bengal
The name Darjeeling is almost synonymous with “Tea” as Scotch is with “Whisky”. Tea growing dates back almost 170 years when a British civil surgeon Dr.Archibald Campbell successfully planted seeds in his own garden, the rest, as they say, is history…
Assam
The Dihing-patkai Wildlife Sanctuary is part of a large tract of elephant corridor of Northern Assam and Arunachal Pradesh These are the only rainforests of Assam and are rich in biodiversity and very productive for birdwatchers with beautiful and rare species alike…
Uttarakhand
Corbett National Park lies in the Terai Arc Landscape at the foot of the Himalayas, where Bhabhar forests Riverine forests, Siwalik foothills and the Terai floodplains all intertwine in a biodiversity-rich area the growing Himalayan Mountains which transport their silt and rock…
Arunachal Pradesh
Ask any birder in India which their dream destination for bird-watching is, and a unanimous cry will be “Eaglenest”! Made popular with the discovery of the Bugun Liochichla in 2006 – an endemic bird of Eaglenest aptly named after the local Bugun tribe…
Assam
Synonymous with its stable population of the 2000 or so Greater One Horned Rhinoceros or the Indian Rhinoceros, Kaziranga is a UNESCO World Heritage Site – a well-protected National Park of India and an area of great ecological importance. It is also an Elephant & Tiger…
Rajasthan
News feeds today are filled with stories about the daily destruction of man acting against nature and against his own long-term interests. However, once in a while, there comes about a positive story where people work for the betterment of wildlife and nature, in the unlikeliest…
Gujarat
A vast expanse of around 5000 sq km of arid and muddy salt-flats, inland from the Gulf of Kutch lies the Little Rann of Kutch – part of a geographical landscape which over 66 million years ago was a part of the Arabian Sea. It gets its name as it is a southern extension of the larger…
Assam
Maguri Beel is a large wetland formed by the meeting of two tributaries of the River Brahmaputra: The Lohit & Dibru Rivers. It is the gateway to the Dibru-Saikhowa Biosphere and an IBA (Important Bird Area) of the World. A “Beel” is a local word for ‘lake’…
Arunachal Pradesh
‘Pristine’ is a word thrown about loosely, however, this wonderful landscape in Arunachal Pradesh is yet to be completely explored. Located in the Eastern Himalayas, gently rising from 200m in the floodplains of the snow-fed Dibang River….
Rajasthan
The Chambal Valley is synonymous with legendary tales of bandits. That phase is done and dusted and there is now a modern conservation success story which is the Chambal National Sanctuary – one of the last refuges of the Gharial crocodile…
Uttarakhand
In the foothills of the West-Central Himalayas lies the Kumaon region, made famous in the writings of the legendary Tiger Books of Jim Corbett. Part of the Shivalik range, Nainital and Pangot are at an altitude close to 2000m above sea-level is covered with Rhododenron…
Sikkim
The imperial snow-capped mountains Kanchendzonga is the pride of Sikkim and its surroundings are awash with colorful flowers of the 30 species of Rhododendron which occur here in summer. From Tropical to Alpine forests – it is a biodiversity hotspot and…
Assam
Contiguous with the Pakke Tiger Reserve to its North, Nameri National Park is a biodiversity haven at the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas of Assam. The glacier-fed Jio-Bhoreli River runs through the park, its sediment, and freshwater supply breathing life into…
West Bengal
One of India’s most well-known trekking circuits, Sandakphu is the highest peak of West Bengal Bengal located at the Northwestern tip of the state, at the border of India & Nepal, inside the protected Singalila National Park. Sandakphu itself is a legendary…
West Bengal
The Sundarbans is the largest delta in the world. Here, the 2 mightiest rivers of India – Brahmaputra & Ganges along with the river Meghna, drain their waters into the Bay of Bengal thus creating the world’s largest mangrove forest and a biodiversity hotspot….
Delhi NCR
New Delhi is a populous city today, a destination steeped in the history of royalty and the power struggles of India. One doesn’t associate it as a destination for any sort of wildlife spotting, yet Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary stands out as an excellent birding area….
Rajasthan
Erstwhile hunting grounds of the Maharaja of Bikaner, this Thorny Desert Scrub is now known worldwide as one the best places to see Raptors in India. Acacia trees and short grasses cover this mostly barren microcosm which teems with life. Part of the Thar Desert landscape…
Indian West Coast
In Peninsular India, primarily comprising of the Southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa Karnataka, Kerala & Tamil Nadu lie the Western Ghats – India’s oldest mountain range and one of the most biogeographically rich places in the world which makes it one of…
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We just finished the first half of two tiger safari tours in India. The first was on the Banhavgar National Park. Our guide was Sanjay Gupta, who had 25 years of experience in the park and with the tigers. He was wonderful, sharing his experience and knowledge throughout our three full days together. He was definitely a highlight of our trip, as a great guide makes for a great experience, whether you see tigers or not! And we did see tigers...
Nature Safari India organized our private 2 Weeks Safari in Central India plus a couple of Sightseeing and we are very happy to having choose this agency. I found them on the responsible tiger tourism association (TOFTigers) and I liked them from the very first contact. From the first email more than two years ago to the end of our trip in April 2022, the service was great, the selection of the itinerary, Parks, lodges and guides was perfect...
Deepkul and the Tiger Safari India team put together an incredible experience for us in Kanha and Bandhavgarh. All the details were taken care of as per our preferences and budget including transportation, food, lodging, and our amazing safari guides. Deepkul was easy to communicate with and always quick to respond to any questions before and during our trip. Highly recommend!
