Experience Birding at Bharatpur in India

Amazing sights greet you at Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary situated in Rajasthan in India. It is also known as Keoladeo because of Shiva temple in the midst near the center point. As the flock of birds rise in the yonder blue sky your spirits soar as well. This destination in the country is full of avian wonders not only Indian but Pale Arctic Migrants as well. In fact winters are full of migrants from across the Himalayas as well as Asia and Europe right up till Siberia.

Much touted for maddening hunts by the royalty. This occurred during the British rule whence the elite descended upon sanctuary for murderous assault on the avian flocks. The infamous hunt carried on till post independence and the tallies were astounding thousands whence the gun shots rang in the air and the hapless birds fell down in great numbers. Luckily Wildlife Protection Act put stop to all this thankfully. This has resulted in Bharatpur being the best place for birding in India.

The bird sanctuary was worked upon by the erstwhile Maharajah. This was to enlarge and encapsulate rain water for irrigation purpose. This created wetlands in large area comprising of twenty eight square kilometres.

If you wish to see Pale Arctic migrants this sanctuary has unbelievable assemblage in all the wetlands along with the resident species. Book your accommodation in the neighborhood of the sanctuary, in one of the hotels. They will organize your trip to the sanctuary and also arrange the best guide.

For bird watching the best option is on foot but you can cycle down the sanctuary or hire a paddle rickshaw. A lot of walking around the wetlands and grassy meadows is required for spotting the rare and common species. But the results are optimum as compared to cycling and moving on rickshaw.

The entry begins in the early morning and the excursions continue till evening. You can hire a guide at the gate where you pay the entrance fee. From here you can sit on a rickshaw till the center point, this will save energy and you can repeat while coming back. The lunch is supplied by the hotels piping hot so coordinate with the accommodation you are staying at.

The guides are excellent and can be relied upon. In two day birding you can spot more than one hundred species with the help of the guide. The rest break is taken at center point where light refreshments are available in the canteen.

Most of the migrants are seen in the wetlands but warblers, nigh jars, owls and passerine species can be noted whence you enter the forests and grasslands in the neighborhood. The destination is also famous for pythons which abound in the grasslands and can be seen sunning in the early morning with ease.

For bird watching you will need quality spotting scope and binoculars. For photography long lens is a must. Keep a handbook on Indian Birds with you for greater assistance. The hotels and tour operators usually provide you with a printed checklist which you can tick.

For those interesting in birding in North, Bharatpur is the starting point. From here you can visit Agra, Chambal and drive long distance to Corbett and Naintal. This will offer experience of birding in India if you are from overseas. You can also visit many hot spots for ornithological surveys in the country following this trip.

Uday writes often on Indian wildlife especially about the tigers. He works as a naturalist and is fond of travel. Uday also provides search engine optimization service and website contents in English.