Birdwatching In Royal Rajasthan

Rajasthan is perhaps best known for its history and culture. However, the royal heritage of the state is highly evident not only in the palaces, and monuments of the state but also in the wildlife. There is something regal about the animals and birds that call this state home.

Keoladeo National Park, more popularly known as Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, is a famous bird sanctuary near the town of Bharatpur. The man-made wetland was created more than 250 years ago by Maharaja Suraj Mal, then the ruler of Bharatpur, as a duck hunting ground. It was designated as a bird sanctuary in 1976, and established as a national park in 1982. Over 230 bird species are known to be resident here, and many more visit in the winter. The wetland system consists of many small habitats, including lakes, marshland, forest patches, and grassy patches. This variety of habitats results in a variety of wildlife being found here.

Ranthambore National Park is arguably one of the best wildlife reserves in North India to spot a tiger. In fact, Ranthambore is credited to be home to the world’s most photographed wild tigers. The park is also a great place for birders, with species like Large Cuckooshrike, Indian Scops Owl, Dusky Eagle-Owl, Black-rumped Flameback, Yellow-legged Buttonquail, and more, calling it home.

 

The park is made up mainly of deciduous forest, and is considered to be among India’s most beautiful national parks thanks to the ruins of the Ranthambore Fort, and the various adjoining man-made lakes, that create a regal backdrop. Many villages and resorts are usually located around the fringes of the buffer areas.

 

In addition to safaris, a popular activity is a visit to Ranthambore Fort. The Fort itself lies inside the park, and the drive to and from the fort is a mini-safari in itself.If time permits, you will also have the chance to visit Dastkar, an organisation that utilises the unique talents of displaced villagers, especially women, and thus generates income for the locals of this region. 

The city of Jaipur boasts of beautiful architecture, monuments, forts and palaces, a royal era or queens and kings and delicious food. No trip to Jaipur is complete without visiting the famous Amer fort, the majestic fort, walled through and through, City Palace (where the royal family of Jaipur still lives), a beautiful palace with various rooms that used to serve different purposes to the royals back in the day, Hawa Mahal, the palace of windows and the local markets, as you walk around the pink city, you realise the heritage value of the monuments, forts, palaces and markets.

 

In addition to all this, the forests of Jhalana make for a quick and easy wildlife addition. Once a sport hunting ground for the nobles of Jaipur, Jhalana is a leopard-rich forest that is the perfect quick addition to any Jaipur visit. Apart from Leopard, Jhalana has other attractions such as Striped Hyena, Golden Jackal, Indian Palm Civets, various species of deer, and a myriad of birds, including Indian Pitta, Dusky Eagle-Owl, Spotted Owlet, Jungle Nightjar, and more. 

From forests and wetlands, the next bioregion to explore would be the desert habitats. The desert habitats of Rajasthan may seem like the last place one would find a variety of natural life. However, these unique places are home to some of the Indian subcontinent’s most sought-after birds and mammals, from Great Indian Bustard and Indian Spotted Creeper, to Blackbuck, Desert Fox, Desert Cat, and more.

Once the hunting ground of the Maharaja of Bikaner, the small protected area of Tal Chhapar has a large population of Blackbuck and Chinkara, and a very impressive list of birds, including raptors, owls, shrikes, larks, Yellow-eyed Pigeon, Indian Spotted Creeper, and more.

After visiting Tal Chhapar, you can visit Bikaner and the Jorbeer Vulture Conservation Reserve, where you can have the opportunity to watch flocks of Himalayan, Griffon and Egyptian Vultures. Steppe Eagles and other raptors are also commonly found in Jorbeer.

A much more pleasant environment can be found in Kheechan. This Rajasthani village is famous for the several-thousand strong flock of Demoiselle Cranes, which stop here on their migration route. For years, it has been a local tradition to keep grains out for the birds, and this spot has now become a important fueling stop for the cranes. Afterwards one can drive to the fortified city of Jaisalmer.

West of Jaisalmer, close to the Indo-Pakistan border, lies the Desert National Park, one of the favourite places in Rajasthan for birdwatchers. Desert National Park is one of India’s largest national parks, covering an area of 3,162 sq km of the Thar Desert, with habitats like sand dunes, rock patches, scrub patches, and small water bodies.

The park is of special interest to birdwatchers, as there is an abundance of birdlife. The region is a haven for migratory and resident birds of arid habitats. Many raptors are spotted here, including Short-toed Snake Eagle, Tawny Eagle, Greater and Indian Spotted Eagles, and various falcons, and sandgrouses at the water bodies. The star bird species here is the Great Indian Bustard, which migrates locally in different seasons. The park is one of the last remaining strongholds of the Great Indian Bustard, now sadly reduced to a population of less than 200 birds and with a real risk of extinction during our lifetimes.

Moving back to big cats, especially leopards, another must in Rajasthan for wildlife lovers is the leopard-rich Bera. Habitat-wise, this is almost a far cry from the forests of Jhalana, showing the versatility of this big cat. The rocky outcrops of Bera are not only home to great rugged scenic beauty, but also a healthy leopard population, making for amazing sightings and photographic opportunities. In addition, they are also great case studies of how local communities have coexisted with leopards for countless generations before and surely many more yet to come.