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INDIA:
BIRDS, TIGERS AND THE TAJ MAHAL
Main tour: 1 - 14 december
2005 Clients:
|
Please click the Tropical Birding logo to visit
the main website
|
INDIA:
BIRDS, TIGERS AND THE TAJ MAHAL
Main tour: 1 - 14 december
2005 Clients:
|
Even the most hardcore birder on his first visit to India dreams of seeing tiger and would probably not pass up the chance to visit the Taj Mahal. This years India tour had exactly these two targets and of course the main aim of seeing a whole load of birds. Looking back now I think I can say that we did very well. Besides visits to the incomparable Taj Mahal and the no less impressive town of Fatehpur Sikri we managed to see something like 375 species of birds. But it isn’t the numbers, it’s the specialities we saw and the often excellent looks we got. Who of us will forget the huge mixed flocks of storks, egrets, herons and cormorants at the in full glory restored Bharatpur, the colourful flocks of red-crested pochards, the splendid peafowl, the skulking painted snipe or the blue-bearded bee-eater at our bungalows at Bandhavgarh. Also seeing no less then 10 species of owl and nightjar in daylight was an amazing feat. And then we were lucky to see some of India’s rarest birds like green avadavat, white-bellied minivet and the critically endangered sociable plover. And lets not forget the tigers! Within 2 hours of arriving at Bandhavgarh we were looking at a mother with four cubs gnawing on a wild boar! Little did we now that this was merely the start of a series of sightings which would yield no less then 8 different tigers in our first three days there. Later we would concentrate more on the birding but would still see the occasional tiger during the drives. Great fun indeed.
1 December
Our first day we spent sightseeing in New Delhi. This is a quite relaxing way
to overcome the jetlag and to get used to the crowds, smells and sights of India.
And Delhi is a great place to do so as this surprisingly green city harbours
some spectacular monuments like the Red Fort, India Gate, Qutab Minar and the
spectacular Hamuyans Tomb. Mixed in were our first birds like oriental magpie
robin, oriental honey-buzzard and the omnipresent common myna’s.
2 December
After several years with almost no monsoon, this year had brought a lot of rain
and reports of a wonderful wet Bharatpur were circulating on the internet. It
was with great anticipation that we left Delhi for this small reserve. Our ride
took us through the hectic urban sprawl until this gave way to the open, agricultural
landscapes. Already here it was obvious that there was a lot of water indeed.
The wheat fields looked more like rice paddies and we stopped at some nice wet
patches along the road seeing birds like painted and woolly-necked storks, red-crested
pochard, ruff, sarus crane, greater spotted eagle and black-shouldered kite.
In drier areas we saw the increasingly rare black ibis amongst more common birds
like bank myna, brown rock-chat, long-tailed shrike and Egyptian vulture.
After a lunch at our splendid accommodation, the former Maharajas palace, we
left for our first visit to the wetland. We started with visits to regular spots
of a pair of large-tailed nightjar and dusky eagle owls. Owls are always special
but these big beasts with there staring face are something special. After long
good looks we left for the Ram Band, a dry bund between two lakes. We birded
here till dusk enjoying the spectacle of huge flocks of storks, egrets and cormorants.
The high water levels had obviously beneficial for the breeding success of these
birds and at times the lake seemed positively crowded. Mixed in were smaller
numbers of ruddy shelduck, gadwall, garganey and spot-billed duck. These were
occasionally flushed by a western marsh harrier or greater spotted eagle. Best
however were the two painted snipe hiding below a small bush.
3 December
After yesterdays success at the Ram Band we opted to go back there today and
circle the biggest lake slowly. We started again with a bang; a perfectly camouflaged
brown hawk-owl. In the dry scrub nearby we found colourful birds like the yellow-footed
green pigeon, long-tailed shrike and bluethroat. Harder was the higher forest
for getting grips with the common but oh so difficult to identify warblers like
chiffchaff, Hume’s and greenish warblers. Easier were the red-breasted
flycatchers and other northern migrants like lesser whitethroat and black redstart.
Birding the lake was a much needed break with big and easy birds like bar-headed and greylag geese, Eurasian spoonbill, the elegant white-tailed plover and the huge black-necked stork. Other waders included common snipe, black-tailed godwit, wood and green sandpiper. As it was warming up by now we choose a nice wide open spot for lunch hoping we would get some raptors. And we were not disappointed. Bharatpur has a big diversity of raptors and in less then an hour we got great views of greater spotted, imperial and booted eagles, oriental honey-buzzard, osprey and brahminy kite.
The afternoon was spent around the temple area where we found one of very few muddy patches in the reserve. As a result is was crowded with waders. New for the trip were the little and temminck’s stints, little ringed plover, spotted and common redshanks and good scanning resulted in a vagrant Mongolian plover. More colourful were the purple swamphens and bronze-winged jacana’s. In the more wooded area’s we connected with a fabulous pair of Indian golden oriole and a yellow-crowned woodpecker.
4 December
Today we tried the drier areas to the south of the marshes. Although less rich
in birds they do have their own specialities. But before we got there, we spotted
the unmistakable shapes of pelicans in the distance. A bit further we could
confirm my initial suspicion that they were the threatened Dalmatian pelican.
Later we would found another small flock of six. Another surprise were 2 great
crested grebes a bird that you do not see often here. The same applies for the
gorgeous northern lapwings with their glossy green backs and ridiculous crests.
In the dry area we took a few long and hot walks which were not too productive
but still we managed to find the small flock of the critically endangered sociable
plovers in a larger flock of the increasingly rare yellow-wattled plover. Colourful
hoopoes scuttled on the ground and amazingly blue Indian rollers were seen overhead.
Intensive scanning in the huge flocks of storks got us the first steppe eagle
of the season whilst we could hear the cranes all over the area. Other birds
seen included Blyth’s pipit, booted warbler, the super elegant pallid
harrier, southern grey shrike, the rather colourful (for a vulture that is)
red-headed vulture, a cute collared scops owl looking down from its regular
tree, an orphean warbler and some tiny, Indian silverbills. The cold beers that
evening were much needed and well deserved after all the walking today.
5 December
Our last day in the park was mostly used to get better views of some of the
birds seen earlier and to make a relaxing trip with a boat into the stork- and
egret colonies. We started with a walk around the nursery to get a better view
of the orange-headed ground-thrush that was playing hide and seek earlier in
the week. This time we saw it the moment we got there, but it flushed immediately
leaving Tom with no and the others with a poor view. A bit of waiting and careful
stalking delivered good views for David and Joanna but Tom still only had glimpses.
We tried for an extra hour but still did not manage better views for Tom. Time
was not wasted however with good views of dusky warbler, verditer flycatcher,
thick-billed flowerpecker and excellent views of both barbets.
After we gave up we jumped into the boat for a ride into the stork colonies.
This was the first time in years that it was possible to do it and I ‘m
glad we took the opportunity. Imagine moving slowly into the middle of a large
group of storks and cormorants whilst big flocks of swallows hunted overhead.
Best birds here were orphean warbler and common hawk cuckoo.
After this trip the rest of the day came a bit as an anti-climax. We walked
some new bunds and visited the old forest. We did not see much new birds but
enjoyed the beautiful forest and the local women washing their colourful saris.
One last good bird was the Brook’s leaf-warbler in the acacia’s
near the barrier.
6
December
Although this was of course a birding trip I think I can say that we were all
looking forward to this cultural day. We left early to start our tour at the
deserted city of Fatehpur Sikri. This magnificent fortified ghost city was built
in the 16th century, made capital of an empire to be deserted after only 14
years. The remaining mosques, palaces and other remains are in a perfect state
and the red sandstone it is made of give it a special atmosphere in the early
morning.
The next stop was at the even more impressive Taj Mahal. This extravagant monument
of love is an amazing sight. The moment you pass the sandstone gateway this
white marble mausoleum takes your breath away. No matter if it is tour first
or the fifth visit. Time flew and all to early we had to leave for lunch and
our last destination of the day, the Agra Fort. This massive fort was build
by the same ruler who build the Taj Mahal. It’s walls are over 20 meters
high and made of red sandstone and measure 2,5 km in circumference. We had a
quick visit to some of the best looking remains before we jumped on our next
adventure, the night train to Umaria. This is one of those real Indian experiences
and an excellent way to get to talk to some other travellers. At least there
is plenty of time.
7 December
We arrived at a very cold and quiet Umaria station at 6 in the morning. After
arranging our transport we soon were on our way to the famous tiger reserve
of Bandavgarh. The going was slow due to the poor road and the new birds appearing
along the road. New for the trip were brown shrike, oriental turtle dove and
alexandrine parakeets.
Our original plan was to grab a quick breakfast and to take a rest or some walks
before we would enter the park for the first time in the afternoon. This plan
was quickly put to rest when our driver asked, quite nonchalantly, if we were
interested in seeing a tigress with her 4 cubs.
Breakfast after that went even quicker as planned and before we knew it we were
looking down on a tiger family happily gnawing away on a wild boar. Although
this park is considered one of the best places to see tiger in India, no-one
had expected to see five tigers within two hours of getting to the park!
The rest of the morning drive was in a very happy mood and although we saw some
very special birds like white-naped woodpecker, lesser adjudant and brown fish-owl,
their was only one subject to speak about. Only near the exit of the park, where
we were shown 4 extremely beautiful mottled wood-owls, people got back to earth.
Almost as good as the tigers were the views we got of white-backed and long-billed
vultures circling over our lodge. These formerly abundant birds are now critically
endangered due to a disease.
After lunch we got back to the park again with our expert driver Alwin. We slowly cruised the sandy tracks stopping to listen for birds and admiring shy tickel’s thrushes, gaudy woolly-necked storks, white-eyed buzzards, and the local (sub)species of changeable hawk-eagle here with a long crest, red junglefowl and some tawny-throated babblers. The highlight however was again a tiger. This time a huge male that we suddenly spotted walking through the scrub less the 5 meter from the jeep. It soon left the scrub and walked into the dry riverbed for a short rest. This was well appreciated by us and the cameras were put to work big time. Soon however he disappeared into the forest again. A spectacular sighting and in my eyes even more special then the ‘twitch’ this morning. As we left the park we found a cute jungle owlet on the wires over the river, already our 7th species of owl seen during the day!
8 December
Our first drive started just before dawn in a very cold park. Gloves, hats and
blankets were no luxury this morning. We quietly drove around stopping whenever
we heard birds and scanning likely looking spots. We started with a great view
of a big crested serpent eagle that was warming up in the sun. The first feeding
flock yielded some long-tailed minivets, common wood-shrikes, a gorgeous chestnut-bellied
nuthatch and a yellow-crowned woodpecker. The highlight was the roosting jungle
nightjar that Joanna spotted. The rest of the drive was good for mammals with
plenty of sambar and spotted deer, wild boar and langur monkeys. But rather
slow for birding. We only added a very welcome flock of greater racket-tailed
drongo to our lists.
During our extended lunch break
we walked the grounds of our lodge seeing some goodies which are very unlikely
to be seen in the forest from the back of a jeep. These skulkers moved around
in a few large fruiting figs in front of our lunchroom. Highlights were blue-winged
(now split of as Jerdon’s) leafbird and golden-fronted leafbird and pale-billed
flowerpecker. In the drier areas outside the compound we found birds like bonelli’s
eagle, Indian robin, shikra and spotted dove.
Our afternoon drive brought us to the more open areas in the eastern part of
the park. Birding was quite good with some good flocks of swallows including
Eurasian and dusky crag-martin, some prinia’s like Grey-breasted and plain
in the grassland and circling red-headed vulture overhead. A good bird here
was the Tickel’s leaf-warbler. However nice these sightings were, the
star was again a tiger. This time a big male recovering from a fight with another
tiger. He was hunkering down a ditch with much of his face torn open.
9 December
Unfortunately we were given the same track again for our morning drive. The
birds there fore were quite similar but now we knew where to find the regular
flock, we could get there just for the birds. This paid of handsomely when we
added some great tits, a gorgeous male ultramarine flycatcher, a bit duller
verditer flycatcher and brown-capped woodpecker. Birding was interrupted when
we heard a tiger roar quite close by. Some frantic turning and driving only
yielded more roars and a tail that disappeared in the forest. A fine male (Indian)
golden oriole was a bit of compensation.
Slowly we continued to the central part of the park stopping whenever we saw movement. This yielded orange-headed thrush, white-bellied drongo and a spectacular male blue-capped rock-thrush. Some alarm calls led us to excellent views and photo opportunities of the same two tigers we barely missed earlier in the morning. These two-year old male and female were basking in the sun on a high rock.
In the afternoon we went to the grassy and rocky areas again hoping to find some quail or even a painted francolin. Although we worked very hard to give me a lifer on my birthday, we had to be content with some plum-headed parakeets, long-billed pipits and green bee-eaters. And as it was rather quiet we spend some time going through the pipitflocks which delivered some richards and blyth’s pipits. And as we were leaving we were spoiled even more with another excellent view of two hunting tiger in a small patch of grassland.
10 december
The morning started very cold and bird activity was very slow during most of
the morning. The flocks would not come out and on the first part of the drive
we only added black-naped monarch and a leader only painted spurfowl to our
tally. After the stop at the central point we obtained permission to go the
one of the elephant stations in the other side of the park. The habitat here
is much more open then the rest of the park and we hoped that would give us
some extra birds. We started well with a couple of blue-bearded bee-eaters and
a loose flock of crested treeswifts. The convoy of jungle bush-quail that we
disturbed along the trail gave only poor views and another painted spurfowl
did the same. Around the station itself we could walk again and here we added
the southern (sub-)species of greater coucal, the endemic jungle prinia and
a common hawk-cuckoo.
For the afternoon we tried a completely different habitat, a big lake with rice
paddies on the northern side of the park. This proved a nice area for a walk
and we obtained great looks at bronze-winged jacana, lesser whistling-duck,
common and pintail snipe and Asian openbill. And finally we found some white-browed
wagtails, another Indian endemic which had eluded us till now. Some scrub along
the waters edge held a mixed flock of munias with Indian silverbill, white-rumped
and scaly-breasted munia and nearby a clamorous reed-warbler.
11 December
Our drives today were mostly in the higher hills of the park and partly along
the access road off the elephant station we visited yesterday. Birding was quite
good with good looks of a lot of the birds seen earlier in the park. Highlights
were a convoy of 12 jungle bush-quail that almost managed to get away unseen
despite the fact that they were less then 2 meters from the jeep, a sykes warbler
and some flocks of chestnut-shouldered petronia. The single streak-throated
woodpecker we saw did not cooperate very well and was not seen by all.
12 December
For David and Joanna the morning drive would be their last as they were leaving
this afternoon. Way before they had made clear that they wanted to end the trip
with another tiger sighting. Yes, two days without a sighting can make people
desperate... The start was not very good as it was quite cold again and activity
low. Till we got at the central meeting point we had not seen anything noteworthy
apart from an Indian fox. And when at the point we were told that none of the
other jeeps had seen a tiger this morning... Therefore we decided to bird the
old forest near the entrance and the grassland around it. We started good with
a fine brown shrike and some jungle owlets. Only meters further we stopped to
photograph a Indian roller along the roadside when I spotted a big flock of
finches in the grass quite far out. At first we only saw the regular munias
but when we got a bit closer we got some red avadavats and then suddenly the
most unexpected bird of the trip, a small flock of 4 or 5 green avadavats. This
Indian endemic is declining quickly due to trapping and other causes and there
are not too many recent sightings of these tiny finches. A lifer for all of
us! But still some of us where not completely satisfied without a tiger- So
we had to work a bit more till we got us a big male that wandered slowly across
the fields towards our jeep, crossed the road less then 5 meters in front of
us and disappeared into the forest. A fantastic end of their trip.
After our good-bye lunch David and Joanna left for their New Delhi-bound train and Tom and I went to the lake again. We hoped to get better views of some of the waders we’d seen there earlier. In this we succeeded but we did not add much new waders. Still birding was excellent again with a good flock of 25 black ibis, red-crested pochard, a few summer plumaged pheasant-tailed jacana’s and again a white-naped woodpecker. When walking around along the forest edge we lucked into a splendid pair of another rare Indian endemic; white-bellied minivet which gave prolonged scope views.
13 December
Tom had requested not to invest any time in tiger from now and to try to get
some of the remaining forest birds. And then there was the wish of getting good
views of orange-headed thrush after all the glimpses he got. In this task we
failed but otherwise we did quite well. We started at the green avadavatsite
but could not find them again. Compensation was around in the form of big flocks
of common rosefinches and some black-headed munias.
When we got into the forest we scoured all flocks we could find and invested a lot of time in the skulking forest denizens. We started well at a small pond with some tickell’s thrushes and an emerald dove. A little further we made a few stops in dense bamboo where some taping soon delivered a beautiful white-rumped shama, puff-throated babblers and our target here, the Indian scimitar babbler. Other birds in flocks along the river included more verditer flycatchers, grey-headed canary-flycatcher and along the river we had our first grey bushchat. Along the exit road we found blue rock-thrush and just before we left a small flock of 3 scaly thrushes. A fitting end to the main part of the tour.
14 December
A travel day spend mostly in the train to New Delhi with no noteworthy sightings.
15 December
This was also mostly a travel day in which we travelled from New Delhi towards
the bridge over the Ganges a couple of hours east of Delhi. This time we went
by car and therefore had the opportunity to stop when we wanted to. We started
at the Okhla barrage just outside of Delhi centre. This is a great birding spot
when the water levels are right. And they were perfect this morning. Birding
along the river was a bit frustrating due to fog as we could see tens of 1000's
of coots/ducks shapes in big rafts on the water. Mixed in were more obvious
birds like greater flamingo, both regular geese, comb duck and the scarce common
shellduck.
On the mudflats were lots of waders including ruff, white-tailed lapwing, the
scarce common ringed plover and a tiny surprise, a flyby jack snipe with some
common snip. Careful scanning of the edge of the mud and the reed marshes delivered
the hoped for local specials: white-tailed stonechat, striated grassbird, striated
babbler and yellow-bellied prinia. Other birds around were a big flock of weavers,
mostly baya but also some black-breasted and Spanish sparrows. Harder to see
were some paddyfield warblers and a surprise at this location; a female crested
bunting. On our way back to the highway the mist cleared a bit now we were able
to see some of the gulls and managed to pick out some yellow-legged, greater
black-headed, brown- and black-headed gulls.
On the river crossings we added river tern and pied avocet and still quite early we arrived at the river Ganges. We walked around here a bit and watched the funeral piles on the other side of the river. The birding was okay with several subspecies of white and yellow wagtail and quite a few of the regular waders and gulls. Finally I was able to show Tom some larks, a family that was remarkably absent till now. We found crested lark, sand lark, oriental skylark and a very nervous flock of short-toed larks. Also there were some tawny pipits and a Eurasian starling.
16
December
Today we travelled the remaining distance to the famous hill resort of Naini
Tal. Unfortunately there were a lot of road works going on so we could not stop
at some of the good forest patches that were so productive in other years. The
only birds not disturbed by the works were the blue whistling-thrushes that
lined the road. The few possible stops did deliver some good-looking birds like
small niltava, velvet-fronted nuthatch and the first of many black bulbuls.
At Naini Tal we were in for the next disappointment, some good scrub had been
cleared and the trail held now a endless row of tiny houses. Birding was very
slow but still we got some of the colourful birds like the magnificent red-billed
blue magpie, rufous sibia, green-backed tit, Himalaya bulbul, the cute blue-capped
redstart and the enormous lammergeyer and Himalayan griffons mixed in the flocks
of steppe eagles. Just before dark we got our first laughing-thrushes, the skulking
chestnut-crowned.
17 December
Our first whole day in the Himalayas was spend at the wooded Mongoli Valley.
But before we got to the valley we made a few stops at spots that caught the
first sunrays. This was very productive and we were almost overwhelmed by all
the new birds. We started with some rock buntings, quickly followed by pink-browed
rosefinches including some fine males, then there were the warblers including
the grey-hooded ones. Then a pair of mountain hawk-eagles started displaying
right in front of us and flushed some kalij pheasants. Still the show was not
over. Soon we found a blue-fronted redstart, some black-throated tits and a
large flock of black-headed jays. Their alarm calls led to the next superb sighting,
2 yellow-throated martens that started to play on the hill slope in front of
us. Reluctantly we had to tear ourselves away from this spot to enter the Mongoli
Valley. Here the birding was also great. Over the hill sides we saw the local
peregrines, lammergeyer, both griffons and nepal house martins. In the forest
we found several feeding flocks including birds like black bulbul, black-chinned
babbler, fire-breasted flowerpecker, rufous sibia, grey-winged blackbird and
the expected warblers. In between we got lucky with a splendid Asian barred
owlet and some striated and white-throated laughing-thrushes.
18 December
Another early start found us in a gully close to Sat Tal. Here we found some
fire-fronted serins and an aberrant bush-warbler. A stop at some nearby fields,
still covered in frost, resulted in excellent views of rufous-breasted and black-throated
accentors as well as a rufous-bellied niltava, rusty-cheeked scimitar-babblers,
a greater yellownape and grey-backed shrike. Highlight here is a large flock
of slaty-headed parakeets that pose for us in the scope.
As soon as the sun hits the forest we start our first of several walks in the
forests around here. Here the birds come thick and fast. A nice flock of spectacular
looking white-crested laughing-thrushes lead us to some rufous-chinned laughing-thrushes
and our first grey treepies. Less obvious are the tiny skulkers like chestnut-headed
tesia and scaly-breasted wren-babbler which play hard to get till they finally
show themselves very well. Working the undergrowth for them is very productive
for other, more colourful birds like red-billed leiothrix, slaty-blue flycatcher,
red-flanked bluetail and yellow-bellied fantail.
During lunch we see some Eurasian buzzard and a besra. Our last stroll is in
a pine forest where we get great views of our last possible barbet, the blue-throated
and a fine male chestnut-bellied rock-thrush. But these pale besides the fine
male Siberian rubythroat we watch in a garden just before dusk.
19 December
Dawn sees us at the high ridge above Naini Tall where we admire the high, snow-capped
mountains further North. Birding is quite slow due to the cold and we do not
see much till we get to the wonderful forests around Pangot. The forest here
is better developed here then around town and due to the higher elevation we
add new birds again. Some of the highlights are Himalayan woodpeckers, dark-throated
thrushes, spot-winged tit, the tiny yellow-browed tit and a white-tailed nuthatch.
Quite unexpected are the three spot-winged grosbeaks that we surprise near town.
These huge finches are new for all of us. In the towns gardens we add our last
birds for Naini Tal some ridiculously long-tailed striated prinia’s and
some Himalayan greenfinches. The remainder of the day is spend shopping and
walking the lakeside boulevard of Naini Tal.
20 December
Our last day of the trip is spend around the town of Ramnagar. Due to a lot
of disturbance at some of the sites, birding is not as rewarding as usual but
still we have some nice sightings. Walking along the river we find good numbers
of vultures including some of the huge cinereous vultures. Over the river are
big flocks of swallows and martins including crested treeswifts. On big boulders
we find some fine crested kingfishers and along the rivers edge a bit of waiting
yields the hoped for brown dipper of which we later find a nest. In the same
habital some little forktails hop from rock to rock showing their small size
compared with the spotted forktails nearby.
Later we enter the forest along the river. In the afternoon we bump into several
large feeding flocks and manage to add our final birds to our already quite
good list. We catch up with the puff-throated babblers that Tom missed earlier
in Bhandhavgarh and get great views of additions like Grey-faced woodpecker,
bar-winged flycatcher-shrike, golden-spectacled warbler, Nepal wren-babbler
and velvet-fronted nuthatch. A fitting end to a great trip.
Trip list
Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus
Indian Cormorant Phalacrocorax fuscicollis
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
Little Cormorant Phalacrocorax niger
Darter Anhinga melanogaster
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea
Great Egret Ardea alba
Intermediate Egret Egretta intermedia
Little Egret Egretta garzetta
Indian Pond-Heron Ardeola grayii
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis - The race involved in India, coromandus, is sometimes
considered a species Eastern cattle egret.
Striated Heron Butorides striatus
Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax
Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala
Asian Openbill Anastomus oscitans
Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus - The race involved is sometimes considered
a separate species from the form in Africa.
Black-necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus
Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus
Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus
Red-naped Ibis Pseudibis papillosa
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber
Lesser Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna javanica
Greylag Goose Anser anser
Bar-headed Goose Anser indicus
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna
Comb Duck Sarkidiornis melanotos
Cotton Pygmy-goose Nettapus coromandelianus
Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope
Gadwall Anas strepera
Common Teal Anas crecca
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
Spot-billed Duck Anas poecilorhyncha
Northern Pintail Anas acuta
Garganey Anas querquedula
Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata
Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina
Common Pochard Aythya ferina
Ferruginous Pochard Aythya nyroca
Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula
Osprey Pandion haliaetus
Oriental Honey-buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus
Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus
Black Kite Milvus migrans - This trip we saw besides the species also the well
marked (sub)species lineatus, the Black-eared Kite.
Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus
Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus
Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus
White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis
Long-billed Vulture Gyps indicus - Recently split into Indian Vulture (G. Indicus)
and Slender-billed vulture). We saw the first one.
Himalayan Griffon Gyps himalayensis
Eurasian Griffon Gyps fulvus
Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus
Red-headed Vulture Sarcogyps calvus
Crested Serpent-Eagle Spilornis cheela
Western Marsh-Harrier Circus aeruginosus
Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus
Shikra Accipiter badius
Besra Accipiter virgatus
Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus
White-eyed Buzzard Butastur teesa
Eurasian Buzzard Buteo buteo - The resident mountain form we saw at Sat Tal
is sometimes split as Himalayan Buzzard (B. Burmanicus)
Indian Spotted Eagle Aquila hastata - Recently split of from the European Lesser
Spotted Eagle (A. pomarina)
Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga
Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis
Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca
Bonelli's Eagle Hieraaetus fasciatus
Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus
Changeable Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus cirrhatus - The ones we saw in Bandhavgahr are
sometimes considered a separate species, crested Hawk-Eagle (S. cirrhatus).
Mountain Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus nipalensis
Eurasian Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus peregrinator
Grey Francolin Francolinus pondicerianus
Jungle Bush-Quail Perdicula asiatica
Painted Spurfowl Galloperdix lunulata
Red Junglefowl Gallus gallus
Kalij Pheasant Lophura leucomelanos
Indian Peafowl Pavo cristatus
Sarus Crane Grus antigone
Common Crane Grus grus
White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus
Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio - Sometimes considered a full species Grey-headed
Swamphen (P. Poloiocephalus)
Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
Eurasian Coot Fulica atra
Pheasant-tailed Jacana Hydrophasianus chirurgus
Bronze-winged Jacana Metopidius indicus
Greater Painted-snipe Rostratula benghalensis
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus
River Lapwing Vanellus duvaucelii
Yellow-wattled Lapwing Vanellus malabaricus
Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus
Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius
White-tailed Lapwing Vanellus leucurus
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula
Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius
Snowy Plover Charadrius alexandrinus
Mongolian Plover Charadrius mongolus
Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus
Pintail Snipe Gallinago stenura
Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata
Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus
Common Redshank Tringa totanus
Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis
Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia
Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus
Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
Little Stint Calidris minuta
Temminck's Stint Calidris temminckii
Ruff Philomachus pugnax
Great Black-headed Gull Larus ichthyaetus
Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis - This white-headed gull-complex is good
for some big headaches but the birds here are probably steppe gulls L. heuglini/cachinnans
barabensis.
Brown-headed Gull Larus brunnicephalus
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus
River Tern Sterna aurantia
Rock Dove Columba livia
Oriental Turtle-Dove Streptopelia orientalis
Red Collared-Dove Streptopelia tranquebarica
Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis
Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis
Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica
Yellow-footed Pigeon Treron phoenicoptera
Alexandrine Parakeet Psittacula eupatria
Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri
Slaty-headed Parakeet Psittacula himalayana
Plum-headed Parakeet Psittacula cyanocephala
Common Hawk-Cuckoo Cuculus varius
Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis - Both the northern and southern Indian subspecies
were seen. The southern may be a separate species C. parroti.
Collared Scops-Owl Otus lettia - The form we saw at Bharatpur and Bandhavgahr
nowadays often named Indian scops owl, O. bakkamoena.
Dusky Eagle-Owl Bubo coromandus
Brown Fish-Owl Ketupa zeylonensis
Mottled Wood-Owl Strix ocellata
Asian Barred Owlet Glaucidium cuculoides
Jungle Owlet Glaucidium radiatum
Spotted Owlet Athene brama
Brown Hawk-Owl Ninox scutulata
Jungle Nightjar Caprimulgus indicus - The southern birds, like the one we saw
at Bandhavgahr now split of as Indian jungle nightjar.
Large-tailed Nightjar Caprimulgus macrurus
Little Swift Apus affinis
Crested Treeswift Hemiprocne coronata
Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis
White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis
Crested Kingfisher Megaceryle lugubris
Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis
Blue-bearded Bee-eater Nyctyornis athertoni
Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis
Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis
Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops
Indian Grey Hornbill Ocyceros birostris
Malabar Pied-Hornbill Anthracoceros coronatus
Great Barbet Megalaima virens
Brown-headed Barbet Megalaima zeylanica
Blue-throated Barbet Megalaima asiatica
Coppersmith Barbet Megalaima haemacephala
Brown-capped Woodpecker Dendrocopos nanus - Maybe better split of from the eastern
subspecies as Indian Pygmy woodpecker.
Grey-capped Woodpecker Dendrocopos canicapillus
Brown-fronted Woodpecker Dendrocopos auriceps
Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker Dendrocopos macei
Yellow-crowned Woodpecker Dendrocopos mahrattensis
Himalayan Woodpecker Dendrocopos himalayensis
Greater Yellownape Picus flavinucha
Streak-throated Woodpecker Picus xanthopygaeus
Grey-faced Woodpecker Picus canus
Black-rumped Flameback Dinopium benghalense
White-naped Woodpecker Chrysocolaptes festivus
Sand Lark Calandrella raytal
Crested Lark Galerida cristata
Oriental Skylark Alauda gulgula
Plain Martin Riparia paludicola - Often split from the African nominate as grey-throated
sand-martin R. chinensis.
Eurasian Crag-Martin Hirundo rupestris
Dusky Crag-Martin Hirundo concolor
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
Wire-tailed Swallow Hirundo smithii
Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica
Streak-throated Swallow Hirundo fluvicola
Nepal Martin Delichon nipalensis
White Wagtail Motacilla alba - Several subspecies were seen: personata, dukhunensis
and alboides.
White-browed Wagtail Motacilla madaraspatensis
Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola
Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flavissima - Subspecies thunbergi and beema seen.
Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea
Paddyfield Pipit Anthus rufulus
Richard's Pipit Anthus richardi
Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris
Blyth's Pipit Anthus godlewskii
Long-billed Pipit Anthus similis
Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis
Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni
Large Cuckoo-shrike Coracina macei
Small Minivet Pericrocotus cinnamomeus
White-bellied Minivet Pericrocotus erythropygius
Long-tailed Minivet Pericrocotus ethologus
Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike Hemipus picatus
White-eared Bulbul Pycnonotus leucotis
White-cheeked Bulbul Pycnonotus leucogenys
Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus cafer
Ashy Bulbul Hemixos flavala
Mountain Bulbul Hypsipetes mcclellandii
Black Bulbul Hypsipetes leucocephalus - Because of morphological and vocal differences
the whole black bulbul complex has been split in several species. We saw the
Himalayan black bulbul, H. leucocephalus.
Blue-winged Leafbird Chloropsis cochinchinensis - The southern subspecies is
nowadays named Jerdon’s leafbird C. jerdoni.
Golden-fronted Leafbird Chloropsis aurifrons
Common Iora Aegithina tiphia
Brown Dipper Cinclus pallasii
Rufous-breasted Accentor Prunella strophiata
Black-throated Accentor Prunella atrogularis
Blue-capped Rock-Thrush Monticola cinclorhynchus
Chestnut-bellied Rock-Thrush Monticola rufiventris
Blue Rock-Thrush Monticola solitarius
Blue Whistling-Thrush Myophonus caeruleus
Orange-headed Thrush Zoothera citrina - We saw two (sub-)species, citrina at
Bharatpur and cyanota at Bhandhavgahr.
Scaly Thrush Zoothera dauma
Tickell's Thrush Turdus unicolor
Grey-winged Blackbird Turdus boulboul
Dark-throated Thrush Turdus ruficollis
Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis
Striated Prinia Prinia criniger
Grey-breasted Prinia Prinia hodgsonii
Graceful Prinia Prinia gracilis
Jungle Prinia Prinia sylvatica
Yellow-bellied Prinia Prinia flaviventris
Ashy Prinia Prinia socialis
Plain Prinia Prinia inornata
Chestnut-headed Tesia Tesia castaneocoronata
Aberrant Bush-Warbler Cettia flavolivacea
Grey-sided Bush-Warbler Cettia brunnifrons
Paddyfield Warbler Acrocephalus agricola
Blyth's Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum
Clamorous Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus stentoreus - Sometimes the Indian birds
are split as Indian reed-warbler, A. brunnescens.
Booted Warbler Hippolais caligata
Sykes' Warbler Hippolais rama
Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius
Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita
Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus
Tickell's Leaf-Warbler Phylloscopus affinis
Buff-barred Warbler Phylloscopus pulcher
Ashy-throated Warbler Phylloscopus maculipennis
Lemon-rumped Warbler Phylloscopus proregulus
Hume’s Warbler Phylloscopus humei
Brooks' Leaf-Warbler Phylloscopus subviridis
Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides
Blyth's Leaf-Warbler Phylloscopus reguloides
Golden-spectacled Warbler Seicercus burkii - This species has recently been
proved to consist of at least 7 different species. The one we saw is green-crowned
warbler, S. burkii.
Grey-hooded Warbler Seicercus xanthoschistos
Striated Grassbird Megalurus palustris
Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca
Hume's Whitethroat Sylvia althaea
Orphean Warbler Sylvia hortensis
Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher Ficedula strophiata
Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva - Recently split in two species which
we both saw. The other one is named Taiga Flycatcher F. albicilla.
Ultramarine Flycatcher Ficedula superciliaris
Slaty-blue Flycatcher Ficedula tricolor
Verditer Flycatcher Eumyias thalassina
Small Niltava Niltava macgrigoriae
Rufous-bellied Niltava Niltava sundara
Tickell's Blue-Flycatcher Cyornis tickelliae
Grey-headed Canary-flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis
Siberian Rubythroat Luscinia calliope
Bluethroat Luscinia svecica
Red-flanked Bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus - Recenly split, we saw the southern
one, Himalayan red-flanked bush-robin T. rufilatus.
Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychus saularis
White-rumped Shama Copsychus malabaricus
Indian Robin Saxicoloides fulicata
Blue-capped Redstart Phoenicurus caeruleocephalus
Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros
Blue-fronted Redstart Phoenicurus frontalis
White-capped Redstart Chaimarrornis leucocephalus
Plumbeous Redstart Rhyacornis fuliginosus
Little Forktail Enicurus scouleri
Spotted Forktail Enicurus maculatus
Common Stonechat Saxicola rubicola
White-tailed Stonechat Saxicola leucura
Pied Bushchat Saxicola caprata
Grey Bushchat Saxicola ferrea
Indian Chat Cercomela fusca
Yellow-bellied Fantail Rhipidura hypoxantha
White-throated Fantail Rhipidura albicollis
White-browed Fantail Rhipidura aureola
Black-naped Monarch Hypothymis azurea
White-throated Laughingthrush Garrulax albogularis
White-crested Laughingthrush Garrulax leucolophus
Striated Laughingthrush Garrulax striatus
Rufous-chinned Laughingthrush Garrulax rufogularis
Streaked Laughingthrush Garrulax lineatus
Puff-throated Babbler Pellorneum ruficeps
Rusty-cheecked Scimitar-Babbler Pomatorhinus erythrocnemis
Indian Scimitar-Babbler Pomatorhinus horsfieldii
Scaly-breasted Wren-Babbler Pnoepyga albiventer
Nepal Wren-Babbler Pnoepyga immaculata
Black-chinned Babbler Stachyris pyrrhops
Tawny-bellied Babbler Dumetia hyperythra
Common Babbler Turdoides caudatus
Striated Babbler Turdoides earlei
Large Grey Babbler Turdoides malcolmi
Jungle Babbler Turdoides striatus
Red-billed Leiothrix Leiothrix lutea
Blue-winged Minla Minla cyanouroptera
Rufous Sibia Heterophasia capistrata
Black-throated Tit Aegithalos concinnus
Great Tit Parus major
Green-backed Tit Parus monticolus
Black-lored Tit Parus xanthogenys
Yellow-browed Tit Sylviparus modestus
Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch Sitta castanea - May be three species of which we
saw two, Chestnut- bellied (S. cinnamoventris) and Indian nuthatch (S. castanea).
White-tailed Nuthatch Sitta himalayensis
Velvet-fronted Nuthatch Sitta frontalis
Bar-tailed Treecreeper Certhia himalayana
Purple Sunbird Cinnyris asiaticus
Thick-billed Flowerpecker Dicaeum agile
Pale-billed Flowerpecker Dicaeum erythrorhynchos
Fire-breasted Flowerpecker Dicaeum ignipectus
Oriental White-eye Zosterops palpebrosus
Eurasian Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus - May be split as Indian golden oriole,
O. kundoo.
Black-hooded Oriole Oriolus xanthornus
Rufous-tailed Shrike Lanius isabellinus
Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus
Bay-backed Shrike Lanius vittatus
Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach
Grey-backed Shrike Lanius tephronotus
Southern Grey Shrike Lanius meridionalis
Common Woodshrike Tephrodornis pondicerianus
Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus
Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus
White-bellied Drongo Dicrurus caerulescens
Greater Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus
Black-headed Jay Garrulus lanceolatus
Blue Magpie Urocissa erythrorhyncha
Rufous Treepie Dendrocitta vagabunda
Grey Treepie Dendrocitta formosae
House Crow Corvus splendens
Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos - May be several species as the voice
and shape of the lowland birds C. culminates is very different from the Himalayan
birds C. japonicus.
Bank Myna Acridotheres ginginianus
Asian Pied Starling Gracupica contra
Brahminy Starling Temenuchus pagodarum
European Starling Sturnus vulgaris
House Sparrow Passer domesticus
Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis
Russet Sparrow Passer rutilans
Chestnut-shouldered Petronia Petronia xanthocollis
Baya Weaver Ploceus philippinus
Bengal Weaver Ploceus benghalensis a.k.a. black-breasted weaver
Red Avadavat Amandava amandava
Green Avadavat Amandava formosa
White-throated Munia Lonchura malabarica a.k.a. Indian silverbill
White-rumped Munia Lonchura striata
Nutmeg Mannikin Lonchura punctulata
Black-headed Munia Lonchura malacca
Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus
Pink-browed Rosefinch Carpodacus rhodochrous
Yellow-breasted Greenfinch Carduelis spinoides
Fire-fronted Serin Serinus pusillus
Spot-winged Grosbeak Mycerobas melanozanthos
Crested Bunting Melophus lathami
Rock Bunting Emberiza cia