Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary in India

Situated in the State of Rajasthan is a World famous bird sanctuary called Bharatpur. The sanctuary is located in one corner of the Township. It has an area of 28 sq. km, part of which is fenced. It is also known as Keoladeo Ghana Sanctuary named after the famous Shiva Temple inside the premises.

Very popular for duck shoots especially during British Raj in India, the destination is now a conservation center. The stone slab in the park carries figures of all the major duck shoots that took place there. The engraving includes the name of the shooter - usually a foreign dignitary or a visiting Maharajah.

The terrain is slightly uneven ground with large grassy swamps, at some places with deep waters, and small patches of forests in the neighborhood. The complex wetland system of mounds, dykes, bunds, and trees offers excellent habitat to more than three hundred species of birds. The inundation is artificial, man-made, and managed by the authorities now. The landfilling with water happened during the construction of the Ajan Dam between the years 1726 to 1763 by Maharajah Suraj Mal.

The sanctuary was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, and also a Ramsar site. The best season to visit is winter, when the migratory ducks and teals arrive in thousands. The period between mid-October to mid-March is the best.

One has to pay an entry fee at the sanctuary gate and hire a guide. These are local guides and excel in identification. The guides help in identifying avian species and know the routes very well.

Birding starts at the crack of dawn and can go on till evening hours before dusk. One can hire a rickshaw or cycle at the gate for comfort. The best option is to walk around, this increases bird sightings but it can be tiring. You have to carry mineral water, and refreshments, however light snacks, and beverages are available at the canteen in the center. During hot days you can avail a can of Coke or Pepsi to quench your thirst.

During winters the birds arrive in hordes from the Himalayas, Central Asia, Europe, and Siberia. In order to see the spectacle and sight-targeted species, a large number of birders arrive at Sanctuary. The checklist has been worked upon for years by ornithologists and added to their trip reports.

Wetland & Shore Birds:

• Northern Pintail
• Gadwall
• Knob Billed Duck
• Tufted Duck
• Shoveller
• Common Pochard
• Eurasian Wigeon
• Common Teal
• Lesser Whistling Teal
• Common Shelduck
• Falcated Teal
• Mallard
• Spot Billed Duck
• Baikal Teal
• Baer's Pochard
• Greater Scaup
• Garganey Teal
• Red Crested Pochard
• Ferruginous Duck
• Bar Headed Geese
• Grey Lag Geese
• Cotton Teal
• Little Grebe
• Median Cormorant
• Little Cormorant
• Great Cormorant
• Grey Heron
• Purple Heron,
• Ruff
• Painted Stork
• Eurasian Spoonbill
• Black Necked Stork
• Open Billed Stork
• Glossy Ibis
• Black Ibis
• Snake Bird
• Common Sandpiper
• Marsh Sandpiper
• Wood Sandpiper
• Green Sandpiper
• Temminck's Stint
• Spotted Red Shank
• Common Red Shank
• Sarus Crane
• Common Crane
• Great White Pelican
• Spot Billed Pelican
• Dalmatian Pelican
• Night Heron
• Black Bittern
• Great Bittern
• Ruddy Turnstone
• Jack Snipe
• Common Snipe
• Painted Snipe
• Black Tailed Godwit
• Terek Sandpiper
• Red Necked Phalarope
• Long Billed Dowitcher
• Dunlin
• Curlew Sandpiper
• Broad Billed Sandpiper
• Pheasant Tailed Jacana
• Bronze-winged Jacana
• Great Stone Plover
• Black Winged Stilt
• Pied Avocet
• Pacific Golden Plover
• Red Knot
• Grey Plover
• Little Ringed Plover
• River Tern
• Kentish Plover
• Black Headed Gull
• Brown Headed Gull
• Black Bellied Tern
• Gull Billed Tern
• Little Tern
• Whiskered Tern

Passerines, Warblers, Raptors, Forest Birds:

• Grey Horn Bill
• Marshall's Iora
• Common Iora
• Indian Eagle Osprey
• Peregrine Falcon
• Short Toed Eagle
• Steppe Eagle
• Tawny Eagle,
• Imperial Eagle
• Eurasian Marsh Harrier
• Spotted Eagle
• Serpent Eagle
• Greater Spotted Eagle
• Bonelli's Eagle
• White Eyed Buzzard
• Black Francolin
• Grey Francolin
• Indian Courser
• Common Quail
• Jungle Bush Quail
• Rain Quail
• Barred Button Quail
• Yellow Legged Buttonquail
• Wryneck
• Brown-Headed Pigmy Woodpecker
• Yellow-crowned Woodpecker
• Back Rumped Flame Back
• Brown Headed Barbet
• Coppersmith Barbet
• Little Green Bee Eater
• Blue Cheeked Bee Eater
• Blue-tailed Bee Eater
• Sirkeer Malkoha
• Rose Ringed Parakeet
• Plum Headed Parakeet
• Asian Palm-Swift
• Little Swift
• Barn Owl
• Oriental Scops Owl
• Collared Scops Owl
• Eurasian Eagle-Owl
• Dusky Eagle Owl
• Brown Fish-Owl
• Barred Jungle Owlet
• Spotted Owlet
• Brown Hawk Owl
• Short Eared Owl
• Grey Nightjar
• Syke's Nightjar
• Indian Nightjar
• Long-Tailed Night jar
• Savanna Nightjar
• Oriental Turtle Dove
• Laughing Dove
• Spotted Dove
• Red Turtle, Dove
• Little Ring Dove
• Yellow-Footed Green Pigeon
• Water Rail
• Brown Crake
• White Breasted Waterhen
• Baillon's Crake
• Spotted Crake
• Ruddy-breasted Crake
• Watercock
• Purple Swamphen
• Common Moorhen
• Common Coot
• Chestnut Bellied Sandgrouse
• Yellow Wattled Lapwing
• River Lapwing
• Grey Headed Lapwing
• Red Wattled Lapwing
• Sociable Lapwing
• White-tailed Lapwing
• Collared Pratincole
• Small Pratincole
• Yellow-legged Gull
• Pallas's Gull
• Osprey Black Winged Kite
• Pariah Kite
• Egyptian Vulture
• Red-headed Vulture
• Hen Harrier
• Pallid Harrier
• Pied Harrier
• Montagu's Harrier
• Shikra
• Eurasian Sparrow-hawk
• Golden Eagle
• Booted Eagle
• Common Kestrel
• Red Necked Falcon
• Oriental Hobby
• Great Crested Grebe
• Western Reef-Egret
• Great Egret
• Median Egret
• Little Egret
• Cattle Egret
• Little Bittern
• Yellow Bittern
• Cinnamon Bittern
• Lesser Adjutant
• Rufous-tailed Shrike
• Long-tailed Shrike
• Grey-backed Shrike
• Southern Grey Shrike
• Rufous Treepie
• Golden Oriole
• Black Headed Oriole
• Large Cuckoo-shrike
• Black-Headed Cuckoo-shrike
• Small Minivet
• White-bellied Minivet
• Scarlet Minivet
• White Throated Fantail
• White-browed Fantail
• Black Drongo
• Ashy Drongo
• Spangled Drongo
• Common Wood shrike
• Orange-headed Thrush
• Tickell's Thrush
• Red Breasted Flycatcher
• Verditer Flycatcher
• Blue Throat
• Tickell's Blue Flycatcher
• Grey-Headed Canary Flycatcher
• Siberian Ruby-throat
• Magpie Robin
• Indian Robin
• Black Redstart
• Common Stonechat
• Pied Bush chat
• Grey Bush chat
• Desert Wheatear
• Variable Wheatear
• Isabelline Wheatear
• Brown Rock Chat
• Brahminy Starling
• Rosy Starling
• Myna
• Asian Pied Starling
• Bank Myna
• Great Tit
• Plain Martin
• Dusky Crag-Martin
• Barn Swallow
• Wire Tailed Swallow
• Red Rumped Swallow
• Streak-throated Swallow
• Red Whiskered Bulbul
• White Eared Bulbul
• Red Vented Bulbul
• Zitting Cisticola
• Rufous-fronted Prinia
• Jungle Prinia
• Ashy Prinia
• Plain Prinia
• Oriental White Eye
• Lanceolated Warbler
• Mustached Warbler
• Paddy field Warbler
• Blunt Winged Warbler
• Blyth's Reed-Warbler
• Clamorous Reed Warbler
• Common Chiff Chaff
• Booted Warbler
• Common Tailorbird
• Dusky Warbler
• Blyth's Leaf Warbler
• Tickell's Leaf Warbler
• Sulphur Bellied Warbler
• Lemon Rumped Warbler
• Hume's Warbler
• Greenish Warbler
• Western Crowned Warbler
• Marsh Babbler
• Yellow-eyed Babbler
• Common Babbler
• Large Grey Babbler
• Jungle Babbler
• Lesser Whitethroat
• Orphean Warbler
• Singing Bush Lark
• Indian Lark
• Ashy Crowned Sparrow Lark
• Desert Lark
• Greater Short-Toed Lark
• Crested Lark
• Syke's Crested Lark
• Oriental Skylark
• Thick Billed Flowerpecker
• Pale Billed Flowerpecker
• Purple Sunbird
• House Sparrow
• Russet's Sparrow
• Spanish Sparrow
• Chestnut-shouldered Petronia
• White Wagtail
• White-browed Wagtail
• Citrine Wagtail
• Yellow Wagtail
• Grey Wagtail
• Paddy field Pipit
• Tawny Pipit
• Blyth's Pipit
• Tree Pipit
• Olive Backed Pipit
• Rosy Pipit
• Black Breasted Weaver
• Streaked Weaver
• Baya Weaver
• Red Avadavat
• Indian Silver-bill
• White Rumped Munia
• Scaly Breasted Munia
• Black Headed Munia
• Common Rose finch
• Crested Bunting
• White Capped Bunting
• Chestnut Eared Bunting
• Red Headed Bunting
• Black-headed Bunting.

Many of the birds mentioned here are local migrants and seasonal visitors. Some arrive at the destination occasionally while others may be stragglers. The summer offers a good chance to watch and photograph the resident species.

Checklist of Birds of Bharatpur

Birding

Wildlife

Accommodations

Sightseeing in Bharatpur

Places of Interest Nearby

How to Reach?

Birding at National Park is an intense affair. Hence you should be well equipped with a good guide, a pair of the finest binoculars, and a spotting scope. Keep a good handbook for reference. If you have done some homework before arriving in this sanctuary you will not regret it.

Wear a pair of good sporting shoes since you have to walk a lot. There are rickshaws available for easy rides but a walk offers better sightings. A rented cycle is a better bet, but again nothing beats trekking using your able feet.

Ask your tour operator what to expect during the excursions at Bharatpur National Park. Start your tour early in the morning whence the park opens. Visit all the diverse habitats and keep an eye open for all the avian species you can spot.

The best season for Bharatpur birding is winter since a majority of migrants arrive then. But the changing seasons have their own offerings hence you will not be disappointed any time you come as long as the park is open.

The Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary harbors many wild animals. These are:

• Nilgai
• Spotted Deer
• Sambar Deer
• Hyena
• Black Buck
• Fox
• Jackal
• Fishing Cat
• Mongoose
• Civet
• Monitor Lizard
• Python
• Smooth India Otter.

The leopards have been mercilessly exterminated from this paradise but a tiger occasionally sneaks in from the nearby tiger reserves. Most interesting are the Gangetic turtles which prey upon mammals on the bank. They are said to feed on human carcasses as well.

One can come across rhesus macaque, langurs, and wild boars while birding. The snakes are plentiful, especially the water snakes. Poisonous snakes are mostly nocturnal and comprise Russel's Viper, Cobra, and Krait. Indian pythons can be sighted in the daytime in certain areas of Keoladeo.

Most of the hotel resorts are situated within a walking distance from the sanctuary gate. The tariff ranges from budget to three-star. During the winter season, the accommodations could be fully booked hence you need to book in advance.

A Government guest house belonging to Rajasthan Tourism is also available. It is located right inside the sanctuary. The guest house offers basic amenities and facilities and is reasonably priced.

Some of the popular hotels in Bharatpur are:

• Hotel Sunbird
• The Bagh
• Maha Khas Palace
• Birders Inn
• Hotel Laxmi Vilas
• Eagle's Nest
• Udai Vilas Palace
• Kiran Vilas Palace
• Swaraj Resorts
• Kadamb Kunj

The five-star properties are actually heritage palaces converted into hotels for the hospitality business. They exhibit classic architecture, arts, and period furniture besides royal opulence. These are expensive but it is worth experiencing the life of the Maharajahs in India.

These hotels also arrange a visit to the park along with a bird guide. The guide is an expert in birding and is familiar with routes. He knows where the avian species could be found. If you are an amateur, and new to Indian species then hire the best guide available.

The most interesting place in Bharatpur is the Loh Garh Fort built during the eighteen century by the Jat Kings. There are many temples in the city, and nearby, some of well the known ones are Banke Bihari Temple, Ganga Temple, and Laxman Mandir

Another good venue is the Government Museum inside the Loh Garh or Iron Fort in the city. A ride around the town can be a pleasing experience with the sights of quaint hamlets, forests, and green fields.

Bund Baretha is about fifty km from Keoladeo National Park. It supports many avian species not seen at the bird sanctuary including Indian Skimmers and whiskered terns. Another good place is Bayana for Vultures, Blue Rock Thrush and Bay Backed Shrike. On the route, one can come across red and black-headed buntings. This is the best place to see the smooth-coated otters.

Chambal River Sanctuary is about fifty-plus km at Dholepur from here. Another good boating venue is near the Bah Village in Uttar Pradesh about 70 km from Agra. There is a lodge for accommodation near the village which also provides good dining facilities and naturalist guide services.

Chambal is an excellent birding destination and the river lies in Rajasthan, UP & MP three states. It is ideal for wildlife tours in India and offers sightings of Jackal, Leopard, Wolf, Fox, Hyena, Nilgai, and many other animals. For reptiles, one can see the Ganges River Dolphin, Turtles, Gharial, and Marsh Crocodile besides many other open country mammals. The mode of safaris is the motor boats operated by MPTDC.

The best road route is from Agra to Mathura and then to Bharatpur which is about 39 km. Many trains stop at the city rail head.

Road transportation from New Delhi, Agra, and Chambal River Sanctuary is the preferred mode of travel. Taxi is the best option to reach the sanctuary from Agra and New Delhi. For those on budget travel, there are many state transport buses available.