Rajasthan India Tours

Birds have a special charm and endearing traits that can delight any heart. A flutter of their wings, and they are gracefully airborne, soaring high in the skies without a care in the world. And for those who have a fascination for our feathered friends, Rajasthan provides unique bird watching opportunities in its numerous game reserves and sanctuaries spread across its territory.

Bird watching has a charm that is exclusively its own and an excitement that is sometimes not understood by the more rowdy and action led adventure enthusiasts! For this particular activity sometimes requires long hours of quiet and patient waiting before finally being rewarded with a flash of incandescent wings, a plummeting dive or a dazzling display of magnificent feathers.

Some of the most prominent bird sanctuaries in Rajasthan where a large variety of birds can be observed are the Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary that is part of Project Tiger, and the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary. Here you can observe innumerable birds in their natural habitat, delight in their quaint habits and marvel at the will and steely determination in their tiny souls. For the dedication with which a nesting pair builds its nest and rears its young, is a truly remarkable sight that fills the heart with wonder.


It extends over an area of 800 sq km in one of the few forest pockets in the Aravali ranges in Rajasthan. It is home to more than 200 species of birds, which include the Crested Serpent Eagle, Gray Hornbill, Wryneck Woodpecker Babbler, Black/Red Headed Bunting, White Breasted Kingfisher, Small Minivet, Little Brown Dove, Golden Oriole, Pale Harrier, Great Gray Shrike, and Tailor Bird, to name just a few. The sanctuary is a typical dry deciduous forest that remains lush and green during the monsoons and dry during the rest of the seasons. Its rich bird life.


The Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is considered one of the best sites for bird watching in the world. It is an area spread out over about 30 square km of boggy marsh, woodlands and scrub and is home to both nesting indigenous birds as well as migratory water birds. More than 330 species of birds have already been spotted and identified here. The finest and rarest of migratory birds, the Siberian Cranes are the pride of this sanctuary and are regular visitors.

There are only 125 pairs of these pure white, crimson-billed cranes estimated to survive worldwide. Abundance of aquatic vegetation, fish, frogs, insects and mollusks, as well abundant shelter for migratory birds make this an ideal place for storks, pelicans, egrets, herons and Kingfishers. Breeding females live in peaceful co-existence and one tree can have nests of different birds in it! It is acknowledged as the best breeding ground for over a thousand species of birds. Migratory birds start arriving in October, which include a variety of Ducks, Geese, Raptors, Waders, Warblers and Cranes.


This is truly a fantasy of feathers. It is the bird kingdom, where time takes wing. Welcome to the Keoladeo Ghana National Park at Bharatpur in Rajasthan. Spread over an area of little over 232 sq kms, Keoladeo derives its name from the Shiva Temple in the heart of the sanctuary. Formerly known as the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, ornithologist Salim Ali, is credited for bringing this park to public notice.

Attractions
The park supports a population of 375 species of birds. With the onset of winter, migratory birds from all over world come here. They arrive by August and leave in February. Visitors include Coot Snipes, Spanish Sparrow, Red Crested Porhard, Rosy Pelican and Flamingo. The special attraction, however, remains the arrival of the rare Siberian Crane. The park is also rich in Pythons, Spotted Deer, Sambhars, Blue Bull, Black Buck, Jackals, Otters, Fishing Cats, Monitor Lizards.