Bird Watching at Kanha National Park
Kanha Park Birding Tour
The National Park is more popular for tiger safaris than birding. But in recent times bird watching has become popular as well. Many groups of birder have started tour operations to this destination. Birding differs much from major wetlands and forest habitats in the North.
The best opportunity comes whence mixed hunting parties are encountered. Birds are less seen in large flocks but pairs and individual sightings abound.
Good quality spotting scopes and binoculars are required for discovering birds in the canopy. Recognizing avian calls helps a lot in identifying species hidden in the dense canopy of thick grasses. Long wait sometimes help fetch a shy species. But more important is having the knowledge of best birding spots in Kanha Tiger Reserve.
A birding professional bird guide is a must for assistance. He or she can help find large number of species in 3 or 4 day expedition. This visit should yield more than hundred species. Outside birding in the buffer zone will increase the list respectably.There are approximately 250 avian species that visit Kanha including the wintering ones. Many migratory birds of North India have also been seen here.
These include Pallas Fish Eagle, Grey Headed Fish Eagle, Osprey, Ultramarine Flycatcher, Grey Bush chat, Blue Capped Rock Thrush and many more waiting to be discovered.
Kanha Tiger Reserve is an interesting destination since both the tiger and birds can be found here. Some more interesting species are:
Asian Paradise Flycatcher, White Rumped Shama, White Bellied Drongo, Spangled Drongo. Racket Tailed Drongo, Twany Babbler, Jungle Babbler, Indian Scimitar Babbler, Grey Francolin, Painted Francolin, Black Naped Flycatcher,Common Iora, Eurasian Blackbird, Gold Mantled Chloropsis, Jerdon’s Leaf Bird, Golden Oriole, Black Hooded Oriole, Common Grey Hornbill, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Asian Brown Flycatcher, Tickell’s Flowerpecker, Verditor Flycatcher, Twany Fish Owl, Barred Jungle Owlet, Spotted Owlet, Brown Fish Owl, Indian Scops Owl, Mottled Wood Owl, Crested Serpent Eagle, Shikra, Common Kestrel, Changeable Hawk Eagle, Pariah Kite, White Eyed Buzzard, Oriental Honey Buzzard and Indian Pitta.
Among the wetland birds are Common Teal, Northern Pintail, Cotton Pigmy Goose, Blue Winged Teal, Red Crested Pochard, Lesser Whistling Teal, Storks, waders, sandpipers, divers and more.
Come in winter time if you wish to enjoy the best birding but than even is summers resident birds are easily seen hence it is birding all the way. Fetch some good bird books as you visit this magnificent tiger reserve in Central India.