India is home to approximately 1,353 bird species, which represents about 12.40 per cent of global bird diversity. A 2023 report by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) pointed out that about 5 per cent of the birds found in the country are endemic and are not reported in other parts of the world. However, bird populations in India are declining due to anthropogenic pressures, such as hunting, habitat loss and collisions with electricity lines, according to the 2020 State of India's Birds Report. Despite this, birdwatching became a favourite pastime for many of us during the COVID-19 lockdowns. The hobby has found favour among many urban residents keen to craft a deeper relationship with the living world.
Outlook Traveller spoke to Garima Bhatia, programme manager at the Nature Conservation Foundation’s Early Bird division, Ghazala Shahabuddin, visiting professor at the environmental studies department in Ashoka University, and Sujan Chatterjee, a founding member and secretary of the Birdwatchers Society West Bengal, to share their insights on planning a birdwatching trip in India.
Due to the sheer size of the country, new birdwatchers must identify the geographical region they most want to explore. For instance, Chatterjee says that the northeast of India, particularly the states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, are areas where one can see a large number of species in a short period of time. “Say, [in] three weeks you can see 500 species in one shot,” he says. Goa in the winter is a great place for a birdwatching holiday, particularly for families, since it has beaches, wetlands and forests in close proximity, says Bhatia. The same goes for birdwatching in Kutch, Gujarat, and Rajasthan, where one can spot birds easily in the scrublands. “Jamnagar in the winter receives a large numbers of migratory birds,” she says.
The Western Ghats are another broad zone a birdwatcher can cover. The region abounds in endemic species such as the rufous-breasted laughingthrush, the Nilgiri wood-pigeon, the white-bellied shortwing, the broad-tailed grassbird, the grey-breasted laughingthrush, the black-and-rufous flycatcher, the Nilgiri flycatcher, and many more. Consider the hill stations of Sakleshpur, Munnar, and Valparai and the national parks of Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu for birdwatching opportunities here.
The Western Himalayas are thriving with birds but the vegetation can be quite dense for first-timers to navigate, says Shahabuddin. “Sites which are set up for birdwatchers are Sattal near Mukteshwar, the Nandhaur Wildlife Sanctuary and the Pawalgarh Conservation Reserve,” she says. Remember that different seasons mean different birds. Shahabuddin says that the best time to go to the Western Himalayas is in the summer when the birds are breeding and performing many activities. Not only are the birds more active, but visitors can also hear more bird calls. While winter also abounds with birds, spotting them is difficult as they are more secretive and do not call as much. Migratory birds such as ruddy shelducks, greylag geese, bar-headed geese, plovers and godwits abound in the lower Himalayas at this time. Consider visiting the rivers and lakes near Mussoorie, the Asan Barrage region, the Jhilmil Jheel Conservation Reserve and Mandothi.
Then there is the Eastern Himalayas region, Bhatia’s “most favourite birding area.” She says beginner birders may feel a little lost here, as birds are often heard than seen. However, its birdwatching opportunities are excellent, and the species seen here cannot be found elsewhere in the country, like the chestnut-breasted partridge, the dark-rumped swift and the broad-billed warbler, to name a few. Places like Kalimpong, Pelling and the nature reserves of Khangchendzonga National Park and the Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary should be sought out.
Bhatia says that one must consider the weather when planning a birdwatching trip, too. “The monsoons may not be a good time to explore Northeast India, but a great time for Ladakh. March/April is usually the perfect time to go to the Western or Eastern Himalayas. If you are interested in migratory birds, winter is a perfect time when you can get to see several migratory species from Europe/Central Asia in India, and many Himalayan birds migrate down south to peninsular India,” she says.
Chatterjee suggests an alternative way of organising a birdwatching trip. “Choose a species, accordingly choose a location and accordingly choose the season. Make an itinerary of how you can cover as many species as you can in the time you have. You can’t see everything you want, [so] you [will] have to make multiple trips and add them over the years,” he says.
Before you decide on a solo trip or a group expedition, consider what kind of experience you’re seeking. “Is it a birding [plus] sightseeing/culture trip, or a trip focused on photography?” says Bhatia. Once you have decided on that, you can focus on whether a solo or group tour best suits that goal.
There are several travel operators who will organise birding trips for you in India. “Make sure you pick the right operator that will provide you with a good bird guide, comfortable accommodation and vehicle for your trip. If you are planning the trip yourself, reach out to birding groups on social media for help. Check the accessibility by flight/train/road, etc. and plan accordingly. Many parts of northeastern India have long road travel time[s] involved. The more inaccessible the place, the harder it is to get good accommodation,” Bhatia says.
According to Shahabuddin, new birdwatchers should refrain from more organised tours and explore the areas on their own. “You won’t learn about [the birds] if you don’t identify them [yourself]. Most of the people who are good at birdwatching today are people who started out on their own. When you go to remote areas and have more experience, you can consider [booking] tour operators,” she says. If you do choose a tour operator, go with a group that has no more than three to four people. The reason is that smaller groups of people are less likely to disturb the birds. Shahabuddin also recommends hiring a local village guide as they know the correct routes to take and will show you around safely.
Booking the services of a local guide is also a way to give back to the communities you will be visiting. In the Western Himalayas, where Shahabuddin conducts her research, long-term programs train villagers to be birdwatching operators. “These people are more responsible to the environment and [are] ethically [minded]. There are many of them and if birdwatchers can use them more, then it’s good for the villagers’ income, livelihoods and environment,” she says.
Shahabuddin is dismayed by the rise of commercial birdwatching operations, which too often ignore the ethics of the activity. “In Uttarakhand, it is against the law to photograph nesting birds as it can disturb the bird and the nest can get abandoned. But commercial tour operators show people these nests at any cost. They also tend to go very close to birds to get their photographs and that also is a disturbing factor. If you approach them too closely, then they will fly away,” she says.
It is also illegal in Uttarakhand to use call playback of bird sounds to attract them for research, tourism or scientific purposes. “Discourage the use of call playbacks during your tour groups if you can,” Shahabuddin says. “It disrupts the normal behaviour of birds and may affect their nesting and pair bonding.” She laments the competitive nature of some birdwatchers who simply embark on trips to tick birds off a checklist, often referred to as “twitchers.” “One of the things that birdwatchers forget is that observing bird behaviour is as interesting as sticking them on a list. People are boasting about seeing rare species [but this generates a] competitive feeling among people. If you are ticking birds off a checklist, you forget to see birds and what they are doing: [their] nesting behaviour, [their] behaviour within a flock, how they sit on a wire, and so on,” she says.
Another thing to keep in mind during your trip is that most places in India, especially in the hills, do not have a mechanism to dispose of non-biodegradable waste. According to Bhatia, “This is the reason that we see so many hillsides littered with plastic trash. It would be highly recommended to carry back to the city any trash you generate (like plastic packets, biscuit wrappers) and to avoid purchasing bottled water.”
Furthermore, be quiet when you go on a bird walk. Do not talk loudly to your companions or on the phone, and do not play loud music. Listen to the more-than-human world around you and observe what you see and hear. If you’re taking photographs with a professional camera, try to keep the shutter sound to a minimum or silence it entirely.
Pack sturdy walking and trekking shoes, binoculars, a good bird field guide, a notebook and pen to write down your observations, and a camera. Carry comfortable and dull-coloured clothing, full-sleeved shirts, and long trousers to protect yourself from mosquitoes and insects. Dress in layers if you’re travelling in the mountains as day and night time temperatures can fluctuate widely. A good torch is helpful for night birding and photography. Make sure you also pack a refillable water bottle to avoid having to buy plastic water bottles.
While Shahabuddin discourages new birdwatchers from using apps like Merlin Bird ID and eBird, both Bhatia and Chatterjee favour them as they allow birdwatchers to explore hotspots, check out which birds to expect at various locations, and familiarise themselves with what they look and sound like. The eBird app allows people to list the birds they have seen and their location, while making the data openly available for scientific research, education and conservation purposes. These lists are visible to everyone all over the world, says Chatterjee.
If you want a break from screentime during your birdwatching trip and are looking for an immersive experience away from devices, then Shahabuddin has some suggestions for you. “I am an old timer as far as birdwatching goes,” she says. “As long as you have a field guide and notebook, it somehow makes you more aware of the features of the bird, and the learning you get from the bird is much more permanent. When you see a bird, note down the characteristics, the behaviour, the colour and where it was sitting. Look through your field guide and try to identify it. This is a learning experience [where you will be able to tell the] tiny differences [among birds] when you start noticing carefully. I do not recommend [uploading photographs] for new birdwatchers. Later on, in more difficult terrain and [when it is] more difficult to identify birds, then it becomes a useful tool. [These things are] mainly meant for scientific research.”
She recalls a time when she was in Mandothi, Haryana, with her students, who were walking along and observing birds. They came across some white-throated kingfishers who were sitting exactly 10-12 feet apart from one another on a wire. The birds were scaring off their competitors by flashing their blue wings at them. It was a moment that allowed Shahabuddin and her students to be amazed, curious and observant, all at the same time.
For both Chatterjee and Bhatia, the satyr tragopan of the Eastern Himalayas is their favourite bird. Chatterjee recalls that the pheasant was on his dream list for a very long time, and he fulfilled his dream when he went on a trip to Darjeeling. Bhatia says that for her, all birds are beautiful and unique in their own ways. “However, the tragopan family, found in the Eastern Himalaya[s], have a special charm for me. The male is usually brightly- and outrageously coloured, while the female is dull-coloured, as is the case with many birds. In the breeding season, the male utters a mournful and eerie call that reverberates in the forest. A memorable sighting for me of the satyr tragopan happened in the Neora Valley National Park in North Bengal this year, when a splendid male came up the slope and crossed the path in front of us, looking like a bejewelled prince,” she says.
Shahabuddin is more circumspect in naming a favourite bird, particularly if twitchers get wind of it and disturb their habitat. She echoes Bhatia’s views when she says that, “I love seeing all birds, whether they are common or rare, whether they are beautifully coloured or dull-coloured. It is [a] very rewarding [experience to observe birds and their behaviour].”