Showing posts with label Bharatpur Bird sanctuary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bharatpur Bird sanctuary. Show all posts

Sunday, January 27, 2013

10 beautiful birds of India


The avifauna of India includes a large variety of unique and rare species of birds including Great Indian Hornbill, Great Indian Bustard, Green Avadavat and Sunbird’s. Total of around 1301 species of bird found in India out 42 are endemic to Indian subcontinent and rest of others are Introduced and accidental species. Some of the most beautiful academic birds of India includes Malabar parakeet,Himalayan Quail,Nilgiri flycatcher,Indian peacock and Bugun Liocichla. Also there are few beautiful wild birds of India are Babblers,Green Bee Eaters,blue Indian Roller and giant Yellow-footed Green Pigeon, along with other common birds Red Whiskered Bulbul and Indian Ringneck Parakeet. There are 12 species of birds who are endemic to the only Andaman and Nicobar Islands are Nicobar pigeon, Nicobar Bulbul, Andaman Scops-owl, Nicobar Parakeet and Andaman Drongo.

Asian Paradise Flycatcher: 

The amazing Asian Paradise Flycatcher is a impressive medium-sized bird found across all over India.The male Paradise Flycatchers has a long and impressive tail with a with a greyish throat and underparts. Rufous and white forms of an Asiatic paradise flycatcher can be spotted in the thick forests and well-wooded habitats from Himachal Pradesh,Rajasthan to Andhra Pradesh.
Asian-Paradise-Flycatcher
Asian-Paradise-Flycatcher

Fire Tailed Myzornis: 

The little Fire-tailed Myzornis is a member of the genus Myzornis and a local resident in Himalayas ranges. Fire-tailed Myzornis got its name due to its fabulous tail, Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
Fire-Tailed-Myzornis
Fire-Tailed-Myzornis

Himalayan Monal: 

The beautiful bird form pheasant family Himalayan Monal also known as the Impeyan Pheasant or Danph is the state bird of Uttarakhand. The colorful and stunning bird is academic to the higher altitudes of the Himalayas mountain ranges including states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
Himalayan-Monal
Himalayan-Monal

Indian Peafowl: 

The Indian peafowl or Blue peafowl is one of the most colored bird of the pheasant family and native to to South Asia. The male is known as a peacock is one of the large bird found in India with a length of 40 to 46 inches. Indian Peacock is the National bird of India and one of the sacred bird in Hindu mythology. The beautiful blue peafowl is the resident of the Indian Subcontinent and frequently found across all over India and neighboring countries.
Indian-Peafowl
Indian-Peafowl

Indian Pitta: 

Indian Pitta is a medium sized bird mostly pops out in every winters season for breeding in southern part of India and sub-Himalayas foothills. The small stubby-tailed bird found mostly in the thick undergrowth and on the floor of forests. It has long and strong leg with very short tail and crown with nine colors green upper parts, blue tail,red lower belly, black coronal stripes,orange vent,and white throat. Indian Pitta is one of the rare bird of Indian subcontinent and found in a very large range of habitats.
Indian-Pitta
Indian-Pitta

Mrs. Gould’s Sunbird: 

The small and beautiful Mrs. Gould’s Sunbird is found only in the north east region of Indian states. Its natural habitats range is distributed from Uttarakhand to Himalayas of north-east India and neighboring countries. Mrs. Gould’s Sunbird is one of the 12 species of Sunbird found in India.
Mrs.-Gould’s-Sunbird
Mrs.-Gould’s-Sunbird

Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher: 

The Alcedinidae family bird is also known as the Black-backed Kingfisher is a small beautiful red and yellow kingfisher bird. Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher is endemic to western ghat of southwest India found mainly into the densely shaded forests of Konkan region. Indian three-toed Kingfisher is one of the most popular out of 12 species of Kingfishers found in India.
Oriental-Dwarf-Kingfisher
Oriental-Dwarf-Kingfisher

Red Headed Trogon: 

The Red-headed Trogon is a species of Trogonidae family habitats in the tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It found in the forests of the eastern parts of India and neighboring countries.
Red-Headed-Trogon
Red-Headed-Trogon

Sarus Crane: 

The large Sarus Crane is the only resident crane of Indian Subcontinent, Mostly found in south to the Godavari River, west to coastal Gujarat,Punjab,east to West Bengal and Assam. Sarus Crane is the largest of Indian cranes with a maximum height of about 5.9 ft making them the world’s tallest flying bird. The population of Sarus Crane is declining in the country so falls in the category of endangered species of bird in India. Sarus Crane species was a close contender to the Indian Peafowl as the national bird of India.
Sarus-Crane
Sarus-Crane

Satyr Tragopan: 

The Crimson Horned Pheasant or Satyr Tragopan is Pheasants only found in foothills of great Himalayas of India and Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan. The bird of Pheasants family is facing subject to hunting and habitat loss of most of its ranges and only a very small population found in India. The beautiful Satyr Tragopan is one of the five species of tragopans of India,male has blue horns and a gular wattle to display during the mating season to attract females.
Satyr-Tragopan
Satyr-Tragopan

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Bharatpur Bird sanctuary - A Safe Place For Avians , The Place for Bird Lovers

One of the finest bird parks in the world, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary (Keoladeo Ghana National Park, in Bharatpur, Rajasthan India) is a reserve that offers protection to faunal species as well. Nesting indigenous water-birds as well as migratory water birds and waterside birds, this sanctuary is also inhabited by Sambar, Chital, Nilgai and Boar. It is visited by a large number of visitors since it is on the tourist circuit of Delhi-Agra-Jaipur, and also visited by photographers wanting to capture birds in all their glory. 


The Keoladeo National Park or Keoladeo Ghana National Park formerly known as the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary in Rajasthan, India is a famous avifauna sanctuary that sees (or saw) thousands of rare and highly endangered birds such as the Siberian Crane come here during the winter season. Over 230 species of birds are known to have made the National Park their home. It is also a major tourist centre with scores of ornithologists arriving here in the hibernal season. It was declared a protected sanctuary in 1971. It is also a declared World Heritage Site.


Flora in Bharatpur

More than 300 species of birds are found in this small wildlife park of 29-sq-kms of which 11-sq-kms are marshes and the rest scrubland and grassland. Keoladeo, the name derives from an ancient Hindu temple, devoted to Lord Shiva, which stands at the centre of the park. ‘Ghana’ means dense, referring to the thick forest, which used to cover the area.
saras
Saras on water shore

Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is famous as an ‘Ornithologist’s Paradise’. The sanctuary is the only manmade wildlife sanctuary in India, developed by an erstwhile Maharaja of Bharatpur. The sanctuary covers an area of approximately 29 sq km, 10 sq km of which comprises of fresh water marshes, shallow lakes and bogs. The favorable environmental conditions combined with enough nutritious food for the birds at Bharatpur Bird sanctuary attracts thousands of indigenous as well as migratory birds every year including the world-renowned Siberian Cranes.
Flamingos
Flamingos 

The park houses more than 300 species of birds and is spread over 30 square kilometers. It is the perfect place to introduce your child to the wonderful world of animals and birds. The migratory birds arrive by August and leave in February. You can find several species of Cranes, Pelicans, Geese, Ducks, Eagles, Hawks, Shanks, Stints, Wagtails, Warblers, Wheatears, Flycatchers, etc. The migratory birds include the Coot Snipes, Spanish Sparrow, Red Crested Porhard, Rosy Pelican and Flamingo. The star of the show is, however, the Siberian Crane. You can also find many mammals and reptiles in the park apart from birds. Pythons, Sambhars, Jackals, Otters, Spotted Deer, etc. are some of the other inmates here.


Location of Bharatpur National Park and Bird Sanctuary on Google Maps

Other places to visit around Bharatpur


  • Bharatpur Palace : Not far from the museum is the Bharatpur Palace, an marvellous structural blend of Mughal and Rajput architecture.
  • Deeg Palace: Situated just 32-kms away from Bharatpur is the Deeg Palace. A strong and massive fortress, Deeg Palace was the summer resort of the ruler of Bharatpur and houses numerous beautiful places and gardens
  • Bharatpur Government Museum: One of the major attention grabber after the Bharatpur sanctuary is Government Museum of Bharatpur, which provides a glimpse of the past royal splendour of Bharatpur. 
  • Lohagarh Fort: The invincible Lohagarh Fort, which remained unconquered despite several attacks by the British Regime

Best time to visit Bharatpur Sanctuary

Bharatpur Wildlife Sanctuary is open throughout the year, still the ideal visiting months are from August-November for resident breeding birds and October- February for migrant birds. There are well-defined forest trails, which can easily be covered on foot or on a cycle or you can also hire a rickshaw that are available on hire. An early morning boat trip or a late evening one is quite a rewarding experience to check out the hidden surprises of Bharatpur.

How to get there

The sanctuary is located in east Rajasthan just 50 kilometers from Agra and can make for an ideal weekend vacation. You can get to Bharatpur by bus (operated by the state transport and private operators) from Delhi, Agra or Jaipur. Bharatpur also has a train station in case you decide to get there by train. It connects to all the major cities in India like Delhi, Mumbai Jaipur and Agra. The nearest airport is situated in Agra. You can also get to Bharatpur by road as an excellent network of roadways connects Bharatpur to all the major cities.

Important things to take along

  • Bharatpur has a very tropical climate as is located on the fringes of the Thar Desert. Wear light cottons during the summer and woolens during winter.
  • Carry a pair of dinoculars for bird watching
  • While restaurants are located within the park, they are very basic. It is preferable to carry your own food
  • There is an entry fee to visit the park. Extra charges are levied for cameras and photographic equipment

Where to stay in Bharatpur

Perhaps no other wildlife sanctuary in India offers the range of accommodation as in Bharatpur. There are
rest houses, lodges, dormitories and hotels.

  • Hotel Bharatpur Ashok, India Tourism Development Corporation Ltd. Inside Keoladeo National Park Bharatpur , PIN – 321001
  • Hotel Udai Vilas Palace ,  Fatehpur Sikri Road, Bharatpur , PIN – 321 001
  • Kadam kunj , NH-11, fatehpur Sikri Rd, Bharatpur
  • The Birders Inn , Bird Sanctuary Road Bharatpur
Rajasthan Tourism provides good accommodation at its hotel, ‘Saras’. Inside the park, the Bharatpur Forest Lodge is maintained by the ITDC. Shanti Kuteer, Circuit House, Dak Bungalow are also good for a comfortable stay. Park Palace, Govind Niwas and the Tourist complex are the other choices.