India is a bird watcher’s paradise. There are lots of birds found in India, actually more than the species of birds in Europe and in North America. There are tours which organizes or combines an Indian vacation with birding or birdwatching.
There are more species of birds found in India than any other country, that is about 1250 species out of the total 8650 species in the whole world. These numbers are credited for the diversity in Indian environment and climate. There are different habitats for birds like mangrove forests, tropical rainforests, sub-alpine forests and grasslands. Aside from that there are also deserts and cultivated areas or areas for agriculture. There are two kinds of climates, hot climate in the South and cold in North.
Birdwatching has become popular over the years, with people rapidly finding ways to combine birding with other activities. It has become a popular activity for families. There are serious birdwatchers who would combine birdwatching with vacations, taking the whole family.
The best time to go to India for birdwatching would be from October to April. There are different kinds of birds that can be seen during this season. If you are apprehensive of booking your own or your family’s birding trip, then there are agencies who are willing to help you with it.
When looking for birding tours, aside from the price, you would also have to consider if the program is comprehensive enough. There are travel agencies that arrange birding tours along with visiting historical and cultural landmarks and sights like Taj Mahal. It would be better if there would be 12 or less than 12 members of the birding tour. This would help you have a better birding experience.
If a travel agency would arrange your birding tour, they would usually include hotel reservations, accommodations, wildlife camps and schedule bird viewing photography. They would also arrange the transportation, you can also look for agencies that would offer financial protection and insurance for their clients.
Some of the top places for birdwatching are the folloing:
• Sonai Rupai Sanctuary- this sanctuary is located in Sonitpur District. They have a variety of hill, domestic and migratory birds. Aside from the birds you can also get to see elephants, Indian bison, and deer.
• Flamingo Colony- this is known to be the largest flamingo colony in the world and it can be found in Khavda, Gujarat. It is one of the most beautiful Indian sactuaries for birds. Flamingos are not the only one visiting the area, there are also other birds that would migrate to India before coming home.
• Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary- is located near Ahmedabad, Gujarat. This sanctuary is just nearthe Nal Lake. There are variety of birds found in this sanctuary like cranes, flamingos, pelicans, ducks, storks and other birds with different colors and variety.
• Porbandar Bird Sanctuary- this is just located in the middle of Porbandar, Gujarat. There are many domestic and migratory birds that can be seen in this area. There are wildfowl, teals, ibis and curlews which can be seen in the sanctuary.
• Velvadrar Bird Sanctuary- is in Bhavnagar, Gujarat which showcases the Indian black buck and different kinds of birds.
• Sultanpur National Park – Sultanpur, Haryana is the location of one of the best national parks in India. There are darters, egrets, shovellers, gadwell, geese, teals, kingfishers, lapwings, sandpipers, demoiselle cranes and other water birds.
So next time, you plan to do birding, try to consider going abroad. Combine it with an Indian vacation that would take your experience on a different level.