Overview
3'290'000 skm, 1'150'000'000 people, over 200 languages, sandy beaches, dry deserts, the wettest place on earth, the mighty Himalayas, paddyfields, rainforest, savannas, huge wetlands, tigers, temples and last but not least some 1000 species of birds: That's India.
India has a large diversity of habitats and covers a vast area. Not surprisingly it has a long bird list. Being a country with a high proportion of Hindus, many people are vegetarians and the animals have not been subjected to as much direct persecution as in other places. The result is that birds can be very approachable.
Birds
About 1220 species have been recorded, meaning about 12% of all birds worldwide. Most birds are Oriental but there is also a Palearctic Element, mainly in the North.
Some endemic species can be found in the Western Ghats, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and in South India in general. Many birds are near-endemic and can also be found in Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh or Pakistan.
In the last years some amazing discoveries and rediscoveries have been made: The Bugun Liocichla has been described in 2006 after its discovery in 1995. In 1986 Jerdon's Courser was rediscovered in South India, not been seen since 100 years. And 1997 the Forest Owlet was relocated in Central India.
Areas of interest
North India (including Himalaya)
- the Keoladeo Ghana bird reserve, famous for wintering wetland species.
- Jim Corbett National Park, good for Himalayan species.
South India
- Pulicat Lake for wintering waders and waterfowl
- Vedanthangal, a big heronry with Pelicans, Herons, Cormorants,...
- Rangantittu Bird Sanctuary, famous for Great Thick-knee
Central India
East India (Assam, Arunanchal Pradesh and other eastern States) Andamans and Nicobars Andaman and Nicobar Islands, an endemic hotspot in the Bay of Bengal
Karnala Bird Sanctuary. A water bird sanctuary, with lake and hill fort. Winter is the best time.
The National Chambal Sanctuary boasts an impressive bird list of over 262 resident and migratory species and is gaining a reputation as one of the most reliable places to see the Indian Skimmer. Other species include Gharial, Marsh Crocodile, Smooth-coated Otter, Gangetic Dolphin, and 8 species of turtles.
Nawegaon Bandh Bird Sanctuary. A water bird sanctuary, best between October and March.
Breeding season starts in October and ends in March. Best time is December and January.
Subcategories
This category has the following 5 subcategories, out of 5 total.
Pages in category ‘India’
The following 58 pages are in this category, out of 58 total.
