Birds in Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand boost more than 600 bird species due to its rich biodiversity. Uttarakhand has the temperate forest, coniferous forest, alpine & subalpine moist scrub, rich grassland, wetland & rivers which spur various bird species in an almost entire region; however, there are some recognized birding places in Uttarakhand. The pre-eminent Uttarakhand birding watching regions are Corbett National Park, Rajaji National Park, Kedarnath Musk Deer Sanctuary, Mussorie-Aglar Valley – Devalsari-Dhanaulti, Nainital-Sattal-Kilbury-Pangot, Almora-Binsar-Mukteshwar, Munsyari –Askot Wildlife sanctuary.

The most common bird’s species found in Uttarakhand are:

Laughing Thrushes: White-crested Laughing Thrush, Spotted Laughing Thrush, White-throated Laughing Thrush, Striated Laughing Thrush, Streaked Laughing Thrush, Variegated Laughing Thrush.
Thrushes: Greater long bill thrush, Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush, Blue Whistling Thrush, Black-Throated Thrush, Grey Winged Blackbird, White Collared Blackbird.
Woodpecker: Great Slaty woodpecker, Large Scaly Bellied green woodpecker, Rufous Woodpecker, Scaly Bellied Woodpecker, Blacknaped Green Woodpecker, Lesser Golden Backed Woodpeckers, Himalayan Pied Woodpeckers.
Pheasant: Cheer Pheasant, Kalij Pheasant, Koklass Pheasant.
Parakeets: Red-breasted Parakeet, Slaty-Headed Parakeet, Plum-headed Parakeet, Rose Ringed Parakeets.
Babbler: Lineated Babblers, Puff Throated Babbler, Black-Chinned Babbler
Barbet: Blue-throated Barbet, Great Barbet, Brown-Headed Barbet.
Warbler: Spotted Bush Warbler, Ashy-throated Warbler, Grey Headed Warblers, Whistlers Warbler, Hume’s Warbler, Black Faced Warblers, Common Tailorbird, Oriental White-eye, Golden Spectacled Warbler.

Partridges: Common Hill Partridge, Snow Partridge.
Flycatcher: Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Rufous Gorgeted Flycatcher, Taiga Flycatcher, Verditer Flycatcher, Grey Headed Flycatcher, Rusty Tailed Flycatcher, Ultramarine Flycatcher, Rufous Bellied Niltava, Small Niltava & Himalayan Bluetail.
Nuthatch: White-Tailed Nuthatch, Chestnut Bellied Nuthatch.
Eagle: Mountain Hawk Eagle, Palla’s Fishing Eagle, Grey Headed & Lesser fish Eagle, Serpent Eagle, Golden Eagle, Black Eagle.
Owl: Spot Bellied Eagle Owl, Towny Fish Owl, Brown Fish Owl, Brown Wood Owl
Vulture: Red-Headed Vulture, Bearded Vulture, Cinereous Vulture, Himalayan Griffon, Eurasian Griffon, Lammergeier,
Kingfisher: White Browned Crested Kingfisher, Stork Billed Crested Kingfisher, White-breasted Kingfisher, Himalayan Pied Kingfisher, Common Kingfisher.
Doves: Spotted Dove, Oriental Turtle Dove, Red Collared Dove, Eurasian Collared Doves.
Other marine birds: Cattle Egret & Indian Pied Herons.
Magpie: Common Green Magpie, Yellow Billed Blue Magpie, Red-Billed Blue Magpie.
Forktails: Black Billed Forktails, Little Forktails, Spotted Forktails.

Tit: Green Backed Tit, Black-Throated tit, Grey Crested Tit, Rufous-Naped Tit, Spot Winged Tit, Indian Black-lored Tit.
Sunbird: Green Tailed Sunbird, Crimson Sunbird, Black-Throated Sunbird, Purple Sunbird.
Rosefinch & Greenfinch: Common Greenfinch, Dark Breasted Rosefinch, Red Fronted Rosefinch, Yellow Breasted Greenfinch.
Redstart: Blue Fronted Redstart, Black Redstart, Plumbeous Water Redstart, Blue Capped Redstart & White Capped Redstart.
Treecreeper: Bar-Tailed Treecreeper, Rusty Flanked Tree Creeper.
Wagtails: White Browed Wagtail, Yellow Wagtails, Grey Wagtails.

Other Bird species

Blue Winged Minla, Bar Throated Minla, Chestnut-tailed Minla, Whiskered Yuhina, Whiskered Yuhina, Hill Prinia, Striated Prinia, Rufous Sibia, Eurasian Jay, Black Headed Jay, Altai, Rufous & Black-Throated Accentors, Maroon Oriole, Common Myna, Kuble Crow, Spotted Nutcracker, Ashy Drongos, Himalayan Bulbul, Black Bulbul & Various others.

Bird Watching Places in Uttarakhand

1) Corbett National Park

At Corbett; Dhikala, Bijrani Zone, Marchula, Mohaan Kumeria, Mongoli Valley, Ramganga River, Kosi Barrage & Sitabani are identified areas for bird watching. Common found birds: The Birds which are found in the Corbett National park & adjoining regions are Great Slaty Woodpecker, Scally Bellied Woodpecker, Black-naped Green Woodpecker, Lesser Woodpecker, Stork Billed & Crested Kingfisher, Himalayan Pied Kingfisher, Lesser Pied Kingfisher, White Breasted Kingfisher, White-Throated Laughing thrush, White Crested Laughing Thrush, Long Tailed Broadbill, Red-Breasted Parakeet, Kaleej Pheasant, Indian Pied Hornbill, Common Green Magpie, Puff Throated Babblers, Blue Tailed Minla, Little & Spotted Forktails, Lineated Barbet, Blue Throated Barbet, Golden Oriole, Brown Dipper The Ramganga & Kosi Barrage are also rich in bird species like a raptor, vulture, river Lapwings, Ducks, Manganese, Egrets, waterfowls, Herons. The birds like Pallas Fishing, Red-Headed Vulture, Hawk Eagle, Crested Hawk-eagle, Himalayan Grey-headed Fishing Eagle, Black Eagle, Golden eagle are the most commonly found birds.

Best time for bird watching: November till March.

2) Kedarnath Musk Deer Sanctuary

The areas for bird watching in Kedarnath Musk Deer Sanctuary are Chopta Trek, Mandal, Kanchula Kharak, Tunganath, Duggalbitta, Mukkumath where more than 200 bird species are found. Common found birds: Great Barbet, Green Backed Tit, Black Lored Tit, red Headed Tit, White Browned Tit, Rusty Cheeked Scimitar Babbler, Green Tailed Sunbirds, Grey Headed Flycatcher, Blue Throated Flycatcher, White-tailed Nuthatch, Common Cuckoo, Black Bulbul, Grey Winged Blackbird, Rufous Sibia, Spotted Laughing Thrush, Streaked Striated Laughing Thrush, Variegated Laughing Thrush, Blue Whistling Thrush, Blue Fronted Redstart, White Colored Blackbirds, Greater long Billed Thrush, Himalayan Pied Woodpecker, Rufous Bellied Pied Woodpecker, Slaty headed Parakeet, Yellow Billed Blue Magpie, Bar Throated Minlas, Common Hill Partridge, Indian Pied Hornbill & etc.

Best time for bird watching: October till June.

3) Mussorie – Aglar Valley – Suakholi – Devalsari – Thatyur – Dhanaulti

The Bird watching trail of Mussorie, Aglar Valley, Devalsari and Dhanaulti, boosts more than 200 bird species. Common found Birds: Slaty headed Parakeet, Brown streaked Laughing Thrush, Striated Laughing Thrush, Rufous Chinned Laughing Thrush, Blue Whistling Thrush, Black-Throated Thrush, Grey Headed Flycatcher, Verditer Flycatcher, Common Hill Partridge, Chukar Partridge, Black Partridge, Cinereous Vulture, Himalayan Griffon Vulture, Blue Throated Barbet, Black-faced Warbler, Himalayan Tree-creeper, Khalij Pheasants, Red-Billed Blue Magpie, Common Green Magpie, Mrs Gould Sunbird, Purple Sunbird, Rufous Shrike, Plumbeous & White Capped Redstarts, White Breasted Kingfisher, Scaly Bellied Green Woodpecker, Black Naped Pied Woodpecker, Brown Fronted Pied Woodpecker, Grey Headed Flycatcher, White Browned Blue Flycatcher, Rufous Tailed Flycatcher, Green Backed Tit, Red-headed tit, etc.

Best time for bird watching: October till May.

4) Nainital - Sattal - Pangot & Kilbury

Nainital’s famous tourist spot like Snow Viewpoint, Tiffin Top, Hanumangarhi & the adjacent renowned places like Sattal, Pangot (Naina Devi Himalayan Bird Reserve) & Kilbury, houses more than 200 bird’s species. Common found birds: Streaked Laughing thrush, Chestnut-headed Laughing thrush, Spotted–Laughing Thrush, Red-Headed Vulture, Lammergeyser, Rufous Bellied Niltava, Himalayan-Griffon, Rufous-breasted and Black-throated Accentors, Black-headed Jay, Eurasian Jay, Tawny Fish Owl, Ultramarine Flycatcher, Oriental Turtle dove, Spotted Dove, Verditer Flycatcher, Little Pied Flycatcher, Himalayan Barbet, Great Barbet, Blue Throated Barbet, Chestnut Bellied Nuthatch, White-Tailed Nuthatch, Grey Crowned Prinia, Blue Winged Minla, Red-Billed Blue Magpie, Spotted & Slaty Backed Forktail, Long-Billed Thrushes, Rufous-bellied Woodpecker, Scaly bellied Woodpecker, Himalayan Woodpecker, Rufous-throated Hill Partridge, Kalij Pheasant, Koklass Pheasant, Cheer-Pheasant, Plum Headed Parakeet & many more.

Best time for bird watching: October till June

5) Almora- Binsar- Mukteshwar

The entire circuit of Almora – Binsar & Mukteshwar, is counted as one of rich avifauna Species habitat in Asia and Binsar has been categorized as important bird area by Birdlife International with around 500 bird species. The significant bird species in the Almora – Binsar & Mukteshwar are Fork tails, Woodpeckers, Pheasant, Partridges, Redstart, Flycatcher, Barbets, Laughing Thrush, Thrushes, Tree-creepers, warblers, finch, tit, Hornbill, Magpie, kingfishers, raptors &, etc. Common found birds: Great Pied Hornbill, Common Green Magpie, Kalij-Pheasant, Cheer-Pheasant, Koklass-Pheasant, Hill-Partridge, Rufous-throated Partridge, White-capped Redstart, Blue-capped Redstart, Oriental Turtle Dove, Ultramarine Flycatcher, Rufous-bellied Niltava, Verditer Flycatcher, Rufous Sibia, Great Barbet, Streaked Laughing Thrush, White-throated Laughing Thrush, Blue whistling Thrush, Scaly Thrush, Himalayan pied Kingfisher, Green Backed Tit, Black-Throated tit, Breasted Green Finch, Common Rosefinch, Grey Slaty Woodpecker, Grey Headed Woodpecker, Brown Fronted Woodpecker, Lesser Yellow-naped Woodpecker.

Best time for bird watching: October till June.

6) Munsyari/ Munsiari and Askot Wildlife Sanctuary

Munsyari (located on the bank of Gori Ganga river) and Askot Wild Life Sanctuary, both are important bird watching areas declared by BNHS. It houses more than 300 bird species Common found birds: Snow Partridge, Hill Partridge, Koklass pheasant, Spotted Laughing Thrush, Streaked Laughing Thrush, Little Pied Flycatcher, Long-Billed and Long-Tailed Thrushes, Mrs. Gould Sunbird, Green-tailed Sunbird, Bearded Vulture, Robin Accentor Golden eagles, Great Crested Tit, White-Throated Tit, Yellow Breasted Green Finch, Red-headed Bullfinch, Black Redstart & many more

Best time for bird watching: March-June and October – Mid December.

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