Bird Watching in India - Ranthambore Package

With more than three hundred species including migrants Ranthambore itself is a fabulous place for watching birds in India. Nevertheless tours are organized all over the country in hot spots by MP Tiger Safari Company. With expert guides, birding professionals and tour leaders the packages have become very popular among the ornithologists from World over.

India is home to more than two thousand avian species which constitutes thirteen percent of World’s avifauna. The vast geographical confines with unique feature and diverse climate attract large number of migrant species every year. This is in addition to attractive resident species already making their presence felt.

The affinity with zoogeographical zones and sub regions is another reason for abundance of avian species in the country. The Himalayan Foothills and higher reaches are home to spectacular pale arctic migrants. The species range from low foothills to extremes of the mountain range offering opportunity to watch an myriads of species preferring varied altitudes on one trip.

The country is home to three types of deserts namely cold desert in Ladakh, saline barren low lands in Rann of Kutch and Thar Desert in Rajasthan. Extensive grasslands, alluvial plains and dense forest add diversity to the terrain and support a huge base of resident and migratory species. The coastline is extensive and supports coastal species that thrive on shore and deep sea.

Some of the large sized target species are the Black Necked Crane, Common Crane, Great Indian Bustard, Demoiselle Crane, Chir Pheasant, Ibisbill, Koklass Pheasant, Great Hornbill, Lesser Florican, Bengal Florican, Sarus Crane, Ceylon Frogmouth, Nilgiri Flycatcher, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Lammergeyer, Himalayan Vulture, Monal, Blood Pheasant, Narcondam Hornbill, Siberian Rubythroat, Forktails, King Vulture, Greater and Lesser Flamingo, Black Necked Stork, Great White, Spotted and Dalmatian Pelican, Indian & Jerdon’s Courser, Forest Spotted Owlet, Indian Pitta, White Winged Wood Duck, Malabar Tragopan, Stayr’s Tragopan, Temminck’s Tragopan, White Bellied Heron and many more. These winged wonders are found in a vast range of the country and many trips are required to explore the avifauna of the country. Birders usually frequent different parts of the country in each trip with the help of big tour operators in India or regional players.

Some of the popular hot spots are Bharatpur, Chilika Lake, Rann of Kutch, Chambal River Sanctuary, Periyar, Western Ghats, Nilgiri Hills, Nainital District, Corbett National Park and many reserves and wildlife sanctuaries like Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Panna, Gir NP, Munnar and more. The list of bird watching destinations in India is endless and still more are coming up every year.

Ornithological tours earlier restricted to few well known places are now being conducted everywhere in the wild heavens and water bodies of the country. As tourism infrastructure expands more and more hotspots are being explored and familiarized. The industry is becoming larger year on year with overseas enthusiasts increasingly looking towards India on ornithological quests.

The best way to go birding in India is on a package tour. These tours are organized for groups or even for individuals and couples. Besides being less costly they offer the advantage of being well organized conducted by a tour leader and accompanied by local birding guides at the destinations on route.

Hand guides by acclaimed authors are available online as well in book stores. Carry quality binoculars and spotting scopes for better experience.

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.