Bird watching Tour 7 days

Nepal is blessed with a vast array of exceptionally rich bird life with total of over 850 species recorded. A diverse topography and climate has resulted in a variety of habitats within the country, which are home to over 8% of the World’s total bird population. Nepal is a paradise for the birdwatcher. From the lowland jungle of the Terrai and the Kosi Tappu barrage through dense rhododendron and Oak forest of the middle hills to the windswept plateaus of the high Himalaya there is always something to keep one twitching.

Among 850 species, almost 500 are found in the Kathmandu Valley alone. The surrounding hills offer a varied ecology ranging from primary and secondary forests to rhododendron, oak and pine forests. In addition, the wetlands and opened fields inside the Valley make up a diverse habitat for many species of birds.

Bird Watching with seven stars
Birds in Kathmandu Valley
The most popular bird watching spot is the Phulchoki hill, the highest peak on the Valley rim situated 20 km South East of Kathmandu, with some 265 species recorded to date. The birds seen here included babblers, warblers, tits, thrushes, minivets, woodpeckers, eagles and many migrant birds. Godavari, at the foot of Phulchoki hill where the Royal Botanical Garden is situated, records over 100 species of birds including the lesser racket-tailed drongo, Tibetan siskin and the spotted fork tail.

Phulchowki
Phulchowki is 2760 meters and 18kms southeast of Kathmandu and is reached via Godawari and the Botanical Gardens. Walking can start from behind the gardens, with a combination of trails and roads. The hillside is covered with forest featuring outstanding flora as well as diverse birds. About 90 species have been recorded in this area including the endemic spring babbler, as well as the Curia, Mountain Hawk Eagle, Rufous Bellied Pied Woodpeckers and the Black-throated Parrot bill, to name a few.

The Shivapuri Watershed and Wildlife Reserve
Situated 11km to the North of Kathmandu, across the Nagerjun Royal Forest.It is a renowned sight for bird enthusiasts with blue magpies, kalij pheasants, Bonelli’s eagles, great Himalayan barbets amongst the many species found here.

The Valley Wetlands
The wetlands in the valley, the banks of the Manohara River on the way to Bhaktapur, and the Bagmati River, which flows into the Valley from Shivapuri hill and out through Chobhar Gorge, are good places for watching waders and waterfowls. Harbouring 40 species of birds mostly dependent on wetlands, Taudaha, a lake on the way to Dakshinkali, attracts flocks of migrant birds.

Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve
Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve lies on the flood plains of the Sapta Koshi in Saptari and Sunsari districts of Eastern Nepal. The Reserve covers 175sq.km and established in 1976. The vegetation is mainly tall Khar-pater grassland with a few patches of Khairsissoo, scrub forest and deciduous mixed riverine forest. The Reserve offers important habitat for a variety of wildlife. The last surviving populations (about 100 individuals) of Wild Buffalo are found here. Other mammals occurring here are hog deer, wild boar, spotted deer and blue bull. A total of 423 species of birds are recorded here, including 20 of ducks, two of ibises, many storks, egrets, herons and the endangered swamp partridges and Bengal Floricans. 183 species of different birds are recorded a day here. Visitors can see minimum 100 types of birds in a day.

Chitwan National Park
There are ample chances to see White-rumped Needtail Swifts and Ibisbills en-route. Upon arrival in Jungle Lodge, welcome and get information by the naturalist. Chitwan National Park is the most famous national park in Nepal. Which offers 450 species of birds including four species of deer, leopard, sloth bear, wild boar and many other wildlife. This park is well known for one horned Rhinoceros and it is a shelter for few Royal Bengal Tigers. Besides this Chitwan also supports a great variety of flora and fauna.

Bardia National Park
Royal Bardia National Park is the largest lowland sanctuary and most undisturbed wilderness area in Terai. Thickly covered with the trees and carpeted with grass and savannah, the park has the second largest tiger population after Chitwan National Park. Other wild animal roams here are the one horned rhino, wild elephant, swamp deer, black buck antelope, crocodile and Gangetic Dolphin etc. Endangered birds include the Bengal florican, lesser florican, silver-eared mesia and Sarus crane.

The Annapurna Conservation Area
To set the scene a little, the Annapurna region is a Conservation Area is the largest and most protected region in the World (ACA), covering around 2600sq km towards the North-central region of Nepal. The Kali Gandaki river runs North to South through this region, through the world’s deepest gorge, some 6000m below the high Annapurna and Dhaulagiri massifs, seven of these peaks are over 7000m, the highest (Annapurna I) at 8091m.

A few facts and figures above, but as you can imagine, the ACA supports a remarkable but delicate biodiversity, with 441 recorded species of birds (so far), including the only endemic species of Nepal, the spiny babbler (Turdoides Nepalensis). The bird habitat ranges from the sub-tropical lowlands towards Pokhara in the south of ACA to dry sub-alpine conditions above the tree-line towards the North.

The Kali Gandaki valley is also a major migration pathway in the autumn, when 40 species, including demoiselle cranes (Anthropoides Virgo), can be seen around Jomsom and Tukche. Happily this coincides with one of the two trekking seasons (spring and autumn).

Migrating West about this time further South around Kaare and Dhampus are about 20 identified species of eagle and other birds of prey. The most commonly observed are:lammergeier gypaetus barbatus (Bearded Vulture), known as the giddha in Nepal, it frequently occurs at 4100m.and the golden eagle Aquila Cryaetos, known as baaj in Nepal.

There are six Himalayan pheasants to be found in ACA: Himalayan the Monal Lophophorus impejanus satyra Tragopan Tragopan satyra (Crimson Horned Pheasant) Blood Pheasant Ithaginis cruentus Koklass Pheasant Pucrasia macrolopha Cheer Pheasant Catreus wallichiiKalij Pheasant Lophura leucomelana, are the most commonly occurring of Nepali pheasants.

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