BIRDS & TIGERS OF NORTHERN INDIA TOUR REPORT 2025

1 - 17 March 2025

Hannu Jannes

This year’s ‘Birds and Tigers’ tour to Northern India again proved a great success with a plethora of avian and mammalian delights. The classic itinerary took us from bird filled wetlands to semi-desert scrub, from dry savanna woodland and arable farmland to the verdant forested slopes and rushing torrents of the Himalayan foothills. The tour has many regional specialties and Indian subcontinent endemics, and, among the many highlights, we saw the magnificent Cheer Pheasant, shy Koklass Pheasant, many Kalij Pheasants, Painted Spurfowl, majestic Sarus Cranes, Pallas’s and Lesser Fish Eagles, the splendid Ibisbill at the Kosi River, Indian Courser, the endangered Black-bellied Tern, the bizarre Indian Skimmer, a flock of showy Painted Sandgrouse, a Dusky Eagle Owl, Brown Fish-Owls that included a female and chick at the nest, Sirkeer Malkoha, Great Hornbill, Nepal Cupwing (or Wren-babbler), the rare Grey-crowned Prinia and Sind Sparrow plus a supporting cast that included Black-necked Stork, Red-naped Ibis, Indian and Great Stone-curlews, Yellow-wattled and White-tailed Lapwings, Greater Painted Snipe, River Tern, White-crested, Chestnut-crowned, Rufous-chinned and Striated Laughingthrushes, Himalayan Rubythroat, Spotted Forktail, Black-headed Jay and a wealth of more widespread Asiatic species. Mammals included an amazing 13 different Tigers (some of which were seen more than once), good views of the normally nocturnal Sloth Bear for half of the group and a close encounter with a troop of Asian Elephants. There was an excellent array of other mammals, great scenery, the opportunity to observe the fascinating rural and urban everyday life of the Indian people and a visit to the incomparable Taj Mahal. An extra bonus on this tour was the opportunity to use hides/blinds at Sattal for the first time, which added a new dimension to the already very good photo opportunities. We followed a slightly different itinerary this year enabling a first visit to the tiny village of Manila, of Cheer Pheasant fame, and dividing our time in the Himalayas between three villages, allowing more time for birding with reduced  driving times between accommodations and birding sites.

We began the tour with a morning visit to the Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary in the state of Haryana less than an hour’s drive from our hotel. In wintertime Sultanpur is teeming with birds and is a great place to commence a birding tour. The main avian target was Sind Sparrow, a NW Indian and Pakistan specialty, which in recent years has found its way to the outskirts of Delhi. It was found relatively easily and we had great views of several birds. Another good bird, which is not often seen on this tour, was a Sirkeer Malkoha, which gave us a good show. Other birds found hiding in the bushes and acacia woods included Greater Coucal, Common Hawk-Cuckoo, Spotted Owlet, Indian Stone-curlew, many Asian Green Bee-eaters, Brown-headed Barbets, Yellow-footed Green Pigeons, Black-rumped Flameback, Alexandrine and Rose-ringed Parakeets, Small Minivet, White-browed Fantail, Long-tailed and Bay-backed Shrikes, Rufous Treepie, Common Chiffchaff, Hume’s Leaf and Greenish Warblers, Ashy Prinia, Large Grey and Jungle Babblers, Lesser Whitethroat, Indian White-eye, Common, Bank and Indian Pied Mynas, Indian and Oriental Magpie Robins, Red-breasted Flycatcher, a fine male Ultramarine Flycatcher, Black Redstart and Purple Sunbird. In and around the wetland itself we found Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, Eurasian Wigeon, Indian Spot-billed Duck, Northern Pintail, Eurasian Teal, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, many River Terns, Painted Stork, two juvenile Black-necked Storks, Black-headed Ibis, Glossy Ibis, three species of egret, Purple and Grey Herons, Little, Indian and Great Cormorants, Oriental Darter, Greater Spotted, Booted and Eastern Imperial Eagles, Osprey, Marsh Harrier, Grey-headed Swamphen, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Bronze-winged Jacana, good numbers of commoner waders and Citrine and Yellow Wagtails. After the busy morning’s birding we boarded our bus and began the long journey north, reaching our comfortable lodge in Kumeria in time for dinner. On the way we stopped for a late lunch and a roadside flock of 13 Sarus Cranes, which allowed an atypically close approach.

The next morning, we boarded our open-topped Gypsy jeeps and spent the first couple of hours birding the Kumeria area before heading to our accommodation in Dhikala camp, deep within Corbett National Park. The first stop on the journey was at the Garjiya Temple by the Kosi River, a regular wintering site of the iconic Ibisbill. There were no Ibisbills at the first spot we checked out, but at the second site we soon located two birds feeding amongst the riverside boulders providing very good, prolonged views before taking off. Other birds seen along this beautiful stretch of river and in the riverside scrub included River Lapwing, Indian Grey Hornbill, Lineated Barbet, Crested Kingfisher, Little Heron (a.k.a. Striated Heron), Red-breasted, Alexandrine and Plum-headed Parakeets, Plumbeous and White-capped Redstarts, Black-chinned Babbler, a stunning male Himalayan Rubythroat, Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike, White-throated Fantail, Ashy and Hair-crested Drongos, Red-whiskered, Black and Himalayan Bulbuls, Tickell’s Leaf Warbler, Grey-breasted Prinia, Blue Whistling Thrush, Slaty-blue and Verditer Flycatchers, Golden-fronted Leafbird, Siberian Stonechat, Grey Bush Chat, White-browed Wagtail and a gorgeous male Crimson Sunbird. As this was our first day in a completely new area, the number of new species became almost overwhelming! On the way back to our hotel and a late breakfast, we stopped for an obliging Nepal Cupwing and later, whilst waiting for our Gypsy jeeps to pick us up just outside our accommodation, we spotted a Variable Wheatear, a rare sight here. At the gate to Corbett NP there were the obligatory dreaded C-form formalities which took nearly half an hour to complete. The mid-day drive to Dhikala camp through the magnificent Sal Forest, was rather uneventful, but we did see a family of Smooth-coated Otters, an occupied Pallas’s Fish Eagles nest, a brief Lesser Fish Eagle and four Black Storks, on the way. After a late lunch in Dhikala camp, we took the two jeeps and drove to the north side of the Ramganga River for an afternoon safari. The absolute highlight of our excursion was a party of three young Tigers that were playing in perfect late afternoon light. Other goodies seen during our drive included a Brown Crake, Changeable Hawk-Eagle, a co-operative White-capped Bunting, a Smoky Warbler, a Brown Fish Owl, Lesser Coucal, Kalij Pheasants, Red Junglefowls and distant Gharials.

The following morning began with a decent breakfast followed by a game drive that took us to the grasslands near Lake Ramganga, where we saw many River Terns, Great Stone-curlews, a Red-headed Vulture, Changeable Hawk-Eagles, a noisy pair of displaying Pallas’s Fish Eagles, two excellent Black Francolins, many Oriental Skylarks, a few Zitting and Golden-headed Cisticolas, several Yellow-eyed Babblers, a confiding Delicate Prinia, a pair of Himalayan Greenfinches, yet another Lesser Coucal, Scarlet and Long-tailed Minivets, a pair of Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babblers, Black-hooded Oriole, Chestnut-bellied and Velvet-fronted Nuthatches and a Long-billed Pipit for one of the vehicles. On the mammal front we enjoyed a close group of excellent Asian Elephants, Northern Red Muntjacs, many Spotted, and one Hog, Deer. Woodpeckers were well represented in the forests of Corbett NP, and during our three-day stay we saw no less than 10 species including Grey-capped Pygmy, Fulvous-breasted, Streak-throated, Grey-headed, Rufous and Great Slaty Woodpeckers, Greater and Lesser Yellownapes and Himalayan, Greater and Black-rumped Flamebacks. After the morning safari it was time to check-out and head to another camp in the Bijrani range of the Corbett NP finding two very brief White-rumped Spinetails, a Collared Falconet and a Jungle Owlet on the way. After a pleasant lunch near Ramnagar followed by another C-form exercise at the Bijrani gate, we could re-enter the park. The afternoon safari provided yet another Tiger sighting, this time a mother with four rather small (6 months old) cubs. In the evening, we listened to Large-tailed Nightjars, a Tiger and two Oriental Scops Owls calling around our camp and managed to see a Brown Boobook that came to check us out.

A new day started with a jeep ride around the Bijrani range, where eventually we saw a magnificent Great Hornbill, a pair of Oriental Pied Hornbills, a confiding White-rumped Shama, a brief Puff-throated Babbler, Ashy Woodswallow, Thick-billed Flowerpecker and the critically endangered Red-headed Vulture. After check-out and lunch, we headed for the tiny village of Manila, a two-hour drive north of Corbett. On the way we stopped for birding and added Long-billed Thrush, Blue-throated Barbet and Whistler’s Warbler to the bird list. Driving up towards Manila, we spotted an excellent pair of Cheer Pheasant on the roadside and spent quite a bit of time admiring and photographing them. Other sightings, in this typical Cheer Pheasant habitat of grassy slopes and pines, included two Yellow-throated Martens, Brown-fronted Woodpecker, Blue-fronted Redstart, Little Pied Flycatcher, Bar-tailed Treecreeper, and an excellent Mountain Scops Owl, which we spotlighted in the evening.

Next morning, after breakfast, we birded the forest clad slopes of Manila, where our main target, the beautiful Koklass Pheasant played hide and seek with us, but in the end, we managed brief views of a pair. Other birds seen during the morning included another pair of Cheer Pheasant, Himalayan Swiftlet, Mountain Hawk Eagle, Short-toed Snake Eagle, Himalayan, Scaly-bellied and Grey-headed Woodpeckers, gorgeous Black-headed Jays, and many White-throated Laughingthrushes and Grey-winged Blackbirds. The rest of the day was spent driving the roads up into the Himalayas and the village of Pangot, our base for the next two nights. On the way we made numerous stops at various altitudes and in different habitats and saw several new birds including Upland Pipit and Himalayan Prinia.

Many great birds awaited us in the higher mountains around Pangot, and we spent one full day exploring the cool montane forests, grassy slopes, terraced fields and edges of small villages above and around 2000 meters enjoying not only the birds but also the vistas with the awesome spectacle of snow-covered Himalayan peaks laid row after row before us, the biggest, Trisul and Nanda Devi, some 120km to our north-west. Bird seen during this excellent day included Hill Partridge, Grey Nightjar, Bonelli’s Eagle, Himalayan Buzzard, Collared Owlet, a species we had only heard earlier, Oriental Turtle Dove, Rufous-bellied Woodpecker, our first sighting of White-browed Shrike-babbler, Coal Tit, Eurasian Crag Martin, Black Bulbul, Black-faced Warbler, Black-throated Bushtit, Blue-winged Minla, Striated and Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrushes, Ultramarine Flycatcher, Rufous Sibia, Fire-breasted Flowerpecker, White-tailed Nuthatch, Bar-tailed Treecreeper, Green-tailed Sunbid, Black-throated Thrush, Rock Bunting and Black-throated, Rufous-breasted and a restless flock of Altai Accentors. Mammals seen during the day included Brown Goral and many handsome Nepal Grey Langurs to complete the trio of langurs available on this tour. All told a pretty good haul. In the afternoon we visited another area lower down the valley where we found our main quarry, the rare Grey-crowned Prinia, after quite a search and also saw Asian Barred Owlet, Black-chinned Yuhina, Spotted Forktail and Black-breasted Sunbird.

Next morning, after more birding in the Pangot area, where we saw Green Shrike-babbler and Eurasian Jay (of the distinct subspecies bispecularis), we headed for Sattal at around 1300m asl stopping for a magnificent pair of Brown Wood Owls. An afternoon excursion in the Sattal area yielded many Red-billed Leiothrix, Small Niltava, Himalayan Rubythroat, Rufous-gorgeted and Ultramarine Flycatchers and Brown Dipper. Unfortunately, the Tawny Fish Owl. that had been roosting in this area for most of the winter, had disappeared only couple of days earlier and was nowhere to be found.

When we started our Indian journey a week or so earlier, we were told that the brilliant bird hides/blinds at Sattal had been closed by local authorities, a major disappointment to all of us. In India, however, there is often a way to get things done, and we got an opportunity to visit two comfortable hides during our stay there photographing and admiring a good selection of species with Yellow-throated Marten, Rufous-throated Partridge, Kalij Pheasant, Greater and Lesser Yellownapes, Grey-headed and Brown-fronted Woodpeckers, Great Barbet, Oriental Turtle Dove, Plum-headed Parakeet, Grey Treepie, Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler, many Red-billed Leiothrix, stunning Red-billed Blue Magpies and a single Common Green Magpie, plus Streaked, Striated, White-throated, White-crested and Rufous-throated Laughingthrushes, Blue-winged Minla, Himalayan Bulbul, Blue Whistling Thrush, Grey-winged Blackbird and Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch. In addition, we visited various birding sites in the Sattal area seeing Grey-sided and Aberrant Bush Warblers, Chestnut-headed Tesia, a confiding Banded Bay Cuckoo, many Lemon-rumped Warblers, and some Yellow-bellied Fantails, Mountain Bulbuls and Brown Bullfinches. In the evening, we secured a good sighting of a calling Large-tailed Nightjar in the garden of our hotel. From Sattal we drove to Delhi, where we arrived early in the evening.

Next morning, after breakfast, we drove to Agra, where we visited the incomparable Taj Mahal and had a good lunch in a posh hotel. After our busy day in the hustle and bustle of Agra we headed back into the dusty, colourful Indian countryside, and the rather luxurious palace hotel, arriving in time for late afternoon birding around the lodge grounds.

We headed for the famous Chambal River early next morning with high hopes. A short walk in the dry country close to the river produced Jungle Prinia, two Blyth’s Pipits, our first, and much awaited Common Babblers, Brahminy Starlings and White-eared Bulbuls. Once at the river, we boarded two boats and began a peaceful, thoroughly enjoyable cruise on a perfect sunny morning, enjoying good, relaxed birding, and seeing Lesser Whistling Ducks, Bar-headed Geese, Knob-billed Ducks, Ruddy Shelducks, several Great Stone-curlews, River Lapwings, our first and only Kentish Plovers, Temminck’s Stints, Small Pratincoles, a breeding pair of Bonelli’s Eagle, Little Tern, Pallas’s Gull, two of the scarce and declining Black-bellied Terns, four Brown Crakes, a breeding colony of Streak-throated Swallow, Blue Rock Thrush plus marvelous views of 50 bizarre, but still elegant Indian Skimmers, that are the main reason for visiting the site. In addition to these avian delights, we had great views of many Gharials (narrow snouted fish-eating crocodile) and Mugger Crocodiles. Back at the lodge we enjoyed a good lunch and more birding, with our first Asian Koels and Rosy Starlings, before heading for Bharatpur stopping on route at a couple sites, which produced Cotton Pygmy Goose, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Griffon Vulture, Great Grey Shrike, Ashy-crowned Sparrow-Lark, Indian Bush, Crested and Greater Short-toed Larks and Long-billed and Rosy Pipits.

Bharatpur, officially known as Keoladeo Ghana National Park, a former hunting ground of the maharajas of Bharatpur and their guests, consists of 28 square kilometres of managed wetlands and drier, savanna type habitats and is a true birdwatcher’s paradise. We spent one full day and one morning in this world-famous birding hot spot either on foot or electric rickshaw exploring different corners of the magnificent park. Due to the rather late date of our visit, the number of wintering ducks had already decreased and some of the scarcer wintering birds had begun their journey further north. Nevertheless we enjoyed a lot of brilliant birding and, in addition to many ducks, herons, egrets and waders, we had already seen earlier on the trip, we saw a number of other new and interesting species including Red-crested Pochard, Baillon’s and Ruddy-breasted Crakes, Sarus Cranes, White-tailed and Grey-headed Lapwings, several Greater Painted-snipe, Black and Yellow Bitterns, Great White Pelican, many Greater Spotted Eagles, Indian Scops Owl, and, after a search, a Dusky Eagle-Owl, Eurasian Wryneck, Common Woodshrike, several Clamorous Reed, Blyth’s Reed and a leader only Sykes’s Warbler plus Eastern Orphean Warbler, a few Bluethroats, Yellow-throated Sparrows, Indian Silverbills, Golden Jackals, Indian Grey Mongoose and good numbers of roosting Indian Flying Foxes. From Bharatpur we continued by bus, partly along the brand new, virtually empty, 8-lane Delhi-Mumbai highway to Sawai Madhopur, arriving there in the early evening. On the way we had a couple of roadside birding stops, adding Yellow-wattled Lapwing, Little Stint and Tawny Pipit to our bird list.

We spent the next four nights at our comfortable resort close to Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve, dubbed the Tiger capital of the world as it is one of the most reliable places in India to see the magnificent beast. During our stay we did a total of five game drives in the park, and we were very successful in achieving our main objective of getting VERY close encounters of Tiger. The best experience was provided by the famous Tigress ‘Arrowhead’ and her three almost full-crown cubs that gave us several encounters, including one where the whole family was only meters away from our open-topped jeeps! Arrowhead was already in rather poor shape during our visit, and she was reported dead three months later. Naturally the park is also packed with food for the big cats, including hundreds of Chital (Spotted Deer), and smaller numbers of Wild Boar, Sambar, Nilgai and Chinkara (Indian Gazelle). We also saw a Sloth Bear (for half of the group) and Indian Grey and Ruddy Mongooses, Indian Hare, many Five-striped Palm Squirrels, hundreds of Northern Plains Grey Langurs, Rhesus Monkeys, Indian Flying Foxes and a brief Jungle Cat for some. Birding is also surprisingly productive in this rather arid area and included species like Painted Spurfowl, Brown Crake, Barred Buttonquail, Black-tailed Godwit, Indian and Great Stone-curlews, Greater Painted-snipe, many Indian Vultures and a single Red-headed Vulture, Indian Scops Owl, Brown Fish Owl’s nest with one chick, Brown-capped Pygmy and Yellow-crowned Woodpeckers, Indian Cuckooshrike, White-bellied Drongo, White-browed Fantail, a brief Indian Paradise Flycatcher, Dusky Crag Martin and Tickell’s Blue and Taiga Flycatchers. Our birding forays outside the park included a productive morning excursion to lake Soorwal, where we encountered a number of interesting birds including Indian Courser, Rufous-fronted Prinia and Black breasted Weaver and a visit to an area of dry wasteland close to our hotel, where we secured great views of several Painted Sandgrouse. From Ranthambhore we returned to a hotel in Delhi for a freshen-up and another good meal, after which it was time to say our goodbyes, and to thank everyone for their great company, which, together with all the excellent birds and exciting places, made this such a memorable trip.

BIRDS OF THE TRIP’ WINNERS 2025:

1st: Tiger

2nd: Common Green Magpie

3rd: Cheer Pheasant & Ibisbill

4th: Great Hornbill

5th: White-crested Laughingthrush

SYSTEMATIC LIST OF SPECIES RECORDED

Species marked with the diamond symbol (◊) are either endemic to the country or local region or considered ‘special’ birds for some other reason (e.g., it is only seen on one or two Birdquest tours; it is difficult to see across all or most of its range; the local form is endemic or restricted-range and may in future be treated as a full species).

The species names and taxonomy used in the bird list follow Gill, F., Donsker, D., & Rasmussen, P.(Eds). 2025. IOC World Bird List (v15.1).

BIRDS

Lesser Whistling Duck  Dendrocygna javanica

Bar-headed Goose ◊  Anser indicus

Knob-billed Duck  Sarkidiornis melanotos

Common Shelduck  Tadorna tadorna

Ruddy Shelduck  Tadorna ferruginea

Cotton Pygmy Goose (Cotton Teal)  Nettapus coromandelianus

Garganey  Spatula querquedula

Northern Shoveler  Spatula clypeata

Gadwall  Mareca strepera

Eurasian Wigeon  Mareca penelope

Indian Spot-billed Duck  Anas poecilorhyncha

Northern Pintail  Anas acuta

Eurasian Teal  Anas crecca

Red-crested Pochard  Netta rufina

Common Pochard  Aythya ferina

Tufted Duck  Aythya fuligula

Hill Partridge (Common H P)  Arborophila torqueola  Good views in the Pangot area.

Rufous-throated Partridge (R-t Hill P)  Arborophila rufogularis  A pair at one of the hides in Sattal.

Koklass Pheasant ◊  Pucrasia macrolopha  Brief views of a pair in Manila.

Cheer Pheasant ◊  Catreus wallichii  Two pairs, with excellent views, in the Manila area.

Kalij Pheasant  Lophura leucomelanos

Indian Peafowl  Pavo cristatus

Painted Spurfowl ◊  Galloperdix lunulata  Endemic. A total of nine in Ranthambhore.

Red Junglefowl  Gallus gallus

Grey Francolin  Ortygornis pondicerianus  Rather common in the dry country.

Black Francolin  Francolinus francolinus  Brilliant views of two males in Corbet NP.

Grey Nightjar  Caprimulgus jotaka  Two sightings in the Pangot area.

Large-tailed Nightjar  Caprimulgus macrurus

Savanna Nightjar  Caprimulgus affinis  Heard only.

Crested Treeswift  Hemiprocne coronata  Small numbers were noted in Corbet NP.

Himalayan Swiftlet  Aerodramus brevirostris  One in Manila (leader only).

White-rumped Spinetail ◊ (W-r Needletail)  Zoonavena sylvatica  Two in Corbett NP.

Little Swift  Apus affinis

Greater Coucal  Centropus sinensis

Lesser Coucal  Centropus bengalensis

Sirkeer Malkoha ◊  Taccocua leschenaultii  Great encounter in Sultanpur on our first morning.

Green-billed Malkoha  Phaenicophaeus tristis

Asian Koel (Common K)  Eudynamys scolopaceus

Banded Bay Cuckoo  Cacomantis sonneratii  One photogenic individual near Sattal.

Common Hawk-Cuckoo ◊  Hierococcyx varius

Painted Sandgrouse ◊  Pterocles indicus  A total of ten near Ranthambhore on our last morning.

Rock Dove (introduced) (Feral P)  Columba [livia] var_domestica

Oriental Turtle Dove (Rufous T D)  Streptopelia orientalis

Eurasian Collared Dove  Streptopelia decaocto

Red Collared Dove (R Turtle D)  Streptopelia tranquebarica

Spotted Dove  Spilopelia chinensis

Laughing Dove  Spilopelia senegalensis

Common Emerald Dove  Chalcophaps indica

Yellow-footed Green Pigeon ◊ (Y-legged G P)  Treron phoenicopterus

Common Moorhen  Gallinula chloropus

Eurasian Coot  Fulica atra

Grey-headed Swamphen  Porphyrio poliocephalus

Ruddy-breasted Crake  Zapornia fusca  Good views of one in Bharatpur. A scarce bird on this itinerary.

Brown Crake ◊  Zapornia akool  A total of eight seen.

Baillon’s Crake  Zapornia pusilla  Good views of one in Bharatpur. A rare bird on this itinerary.

White-breasted Waterhen  Amaurornis phoenicurus

Sarus Crane ◊  Antigone antigone

Little Grebe  Tachybaptus ruficollis

Barred Buttonquail  Turnix suscitator  A pair in Ranthambhore.

Great Stone-curlew ◊ (G Thick-knee)  Esacus recurvirostris

Indian Stone-curlew ◊ (I Thick-knee)  Burhinus indicus

Ibisbill  Ibidorhyncha struthersii  Two by the Kosi River near the Garijiya temple.

Black-winged Stilt  Himantopus himantopus

Little Ringed Plover  Charadrius dubius

River Lapwing  Vanellus duvaucelii

Yellow-wattled Lapwing ◊  Vanellus malabaricus

Grey-headed Lapwing  Vanellus cinereus  One in Bharatpur. A scarce bird on this itinerary.

Red-wattled Lapwing  Vanellus indicus

White-tailed Lapwing ◊ (W-t Plover)  Vanellus leucurus

Kentish Plover  Anarhynchus alexandrinus

Greater Painted-snipe  Rostratula benghalensis  Easy to see in Bharatpur this year.

Pheasant-tailed Jacana  Hydrophasianus chirurgus

Bronze-winged Jacana  Metopidius indicus

Black-tailed Godwit  Limosa limosa

Common Snipe  Gallinago gallinago

Common Sandpiper  Actitis hypoleucos

Green Sandpiper  Tringa ochropus

Marsh Sandpiper  Tringa stagnatilis

Wood Sandpiper  Tringa glareola

Common Redshank  Tringa totanus

Spotted Redshank  Tringa erythropus

Common Greenshank  Tringa nebularia

Ruff  Calidris pugnax

Temminck’s Stint  Calidris temminckii

Little Stint  Calidris minuta

Indian Courser ◊  Cursorius coromandelicus  Five near lake Soorwal.

Small Pratincole  Glareola lactea  Three at the Chambal river.

Indian Skimmer ◊  Rynchops albicollis  50 at the Chambal river.

Little Tern  Sternula albifrons  One at the Chambal river.

Whiskered Tern  Chlidonias hybrida

River Tern ◊  Sterna aurantia

Black-bellied Tern ◊  Sterna acuticauda  Three at the Chambal river.

Pallas’s Gull (Great Black-headed G)  Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus  One at the Chambal river.

Asian Openbill  Anastomus oscitans

Painted Stork  Mycteria leucocephala

Black-necked Stork ◊  Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus

Asian Woolly-necked Stork (Asian Woollyneck)  Ciconia [episcopus] episcopus

Black Stork  Ciconia nigra

Oriental Darter  Anhinga melanogaster

Little Cormorant  Microcarbo niger

Indian Cormorant ◊ (I Shag)  Phalacrocorax fuscicollis

Great Cormorant  Phalacrocorax carbo

Black-headed Ibis  Threskiornis melanocephalus

Red-naped Ibis ◊ (Indian Black I)  Pseudibis papillosa

Glossy Ibis  Plegadis falcinellus

Eurasian Spoonbill  Platalea leucorodia

Black Bittern  Botaurus flavicollis  A total of four in Bharatpur.

Yellow Bittern  Botaurus sinensis  One in Bharatpur.

Black-crowned Night Heron  Nycticorax nycticorax

Little Egret  Egretta garzetta

Little Heron  Butorides atricapilla

Indian Pond Heron  Ardeola grayii

Great Egret  Ardea alba

Medium Egret  Ardea intermedia

Eastern Cattle Egret  Ardea coromanda

Grey Heron  Ardea cinerea

Purple Heron  Ardea purpurea

Great White Pelican  Pelecanus onocrotalus

Osprey (Western O)  Pandion [haliaetus] haliaetus

Black-winged Kite  Elanus caeruleus

Egyptian Vulture  Neophron percnopterus  Both subspecies, the resident ginginianus and the wintering nominate were seen.

Crested Honey Buzzard (Oriental H B)  Pernis ptilorhynchus

Indian Vulture ◊  Gyps indicus  This critically endangered vulture is still fairly common in Ranthambhore.

Himalayan Vulture ◊ (H Griffon V)  Gyps himalayensis

Griffon Vulture (Eurasian G V)  Gyps fulvus  One in the lowlands on the way to Bharatpur.

Red-headed Vulture ◊  Sarcogyps calvus  Two sightings in Corbet NP and one in Ranthambhore. Critically endangered.

Crested Serpent Eagle  Spilornis cheela

Short-toed Snake Eagle (S-t Eagle)  Circaetus gallicus

Mountain Hawk-Eagle  Nisaetus nipalensis

Changeable Hawk-Eagle  Nisaetus cirrhatus

Black Eagle  Ictinaetus malaiensis  One in the Himalayas and another one in Ranthambhore.

Greater Spotted Eagle  Clanga clanga

Booted Eagle  Hieraaetus pennatus

Steppe Eagle  Aquila nipalensis

Eastern Imperial Eagle  Aquila heliaca

Bonelli’s Eagle  Aquila fasciata

Shikra  Tachyspiza badia

Eurasian Sparrowhawk  Accipiter nisus

Western Marsh Harrier  Circus aeruginosus

Black Kite (Black-eared K)  Milvus [migrans] lineatus

Black Kite (Pariah K)  Milvus [migrans] govinda

Pallas’s Fish Eagle ◊  Haliaeetus leucoryphus  A total of six in Corbet NP.

Lesser Fish Eagle ◊  Icthyophaga humilis  Two in Corbet NP.

Himalayan Buzzard ◊  Buteo refectus

Common Buzzard (Steppe B)  Buteo [buteo] vulpinus  One non-leader bird in Ranthambhore.

Brown Boobook (B Hawk Owl)  Ninox scutulata  A few sightings in Corbet NP.

Collared Owlet  Taenioptynx brodiei  One was seen and a few more heard in the north.

Spotted Owlet  Athene brama

Asian Barred Owlet  Glaucidium cuculoides

Jungle Owlet ◊  Glaucidium radiatum

Mountain Scops Owl  Otus spilocephalus  Good views of one in Manila.

Oriental Scops Owl  Otus sunia  Heard only in Bijrani, Corbet NP.

Indian Scops Owl ◊  Otus bakkamoena  Seen in Bharatpur and Ranthambhore. I am still unable to identify the two day-time individuals we sighted in Corbet NP. Both Indian and Collared Scops Owl occur there.

Brown Fish Owl  Ketupa zeylonensis  A roosting bird in Corbet NP and nest with female and one chick in Ranthambhore.

Dusky Eagle-Owl ◊  Ketupa coromanda  An adult bird near its empty nest in Bharatpur.

Brown Wood Owl  Strix leptogrammica  Amazing pair was near Pangot.

Eurasian Hoopoe (Common H)  Upupa epops

Great Hornbill  Buceros bicornis  Great encounter with one in the Bijrani range of Corbet NP.

Oriental Pied Hornbill  Anthracoceros albirostris

Indian Grey Hornbill ◊  Ocyceros birostris

Indian Roller  Coracias benghalensis

Stork-billed Kingfisher  Pelargopsis capensis  Heard only.

White-throated Kingfisher (W-breasted K)  Halcyon smyrnensis

Common Kingfisher  Alcedo atthis

Crested Kingfisher  Megaceryle lugubris

Pied Kingfisher  Ceryle rudis

Asian Green Bee-eater  Merops orientalis

Great Barbet  Psilopogon virens

Brown-headed Barbet ◊  Psilopogon zeylanicus

Lineated Barbet  Psilopogon lineatus

Blue-throated Barbet  Psilopogon asiaticus

Coppersmith Barbet  Psilopogon haemacephalus

Eurasian Wryneck  Jynx torquilla

Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpecker ◊ (Indian P W)  Yungipicus nanus

Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker (G-c W)  Yungipicus canicapillus

Brown-fronted Woodpecker ◊ (B-f Pied W)  Dendrocoptes auriceps

Yellow-crowned Woodpecker ◊ (Y-fronted Pied W)  Leiopicus mahrattensis

Rufous-bellied Woodpecker  Dendrocopos hyperythrus

Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker ◊ (F-b Pied W)  Dendrocopos macei

Himalayan Woodpecker ◊ (H Pied W)  Dendrocopos himalayensis

Greater Yellownape  Chrysophlegma flavinucha

Lesser Yellownape  Picus chlorolophus

Streak-throated Woodpecker ◊  Picus xanthopygaeus

Scaly-bellied Woodpecker  Picus squamatus

Grey-headed Woodpecker  Picus canus

Himalayan Flameback ◊  Dinopium shorii

Black-rumped Flameback  Dinopium benghalense

Greater Flameback  Chrysocolaptes guttacristatus

Rufous Woodpecker  Micropternus brachyurus

Great Slaty Woodpecker  Mulleripicus pulverulentus  Brief views of one at the Bijrani range in Corbet NP.

Collared Falconet  Microhierax caerulescens  Brief views of one in Corbet NP.

Common Kestrel (Eurasian Kestrel)  Falco tinnunculus

Peregrine Falcon  Falco peregrinus

Slaty-headed Parakeet ◊ (Himalayan P)  Psittacula himalayana

Plum-headed Parakeet ◊  Psittacula cyanocephala

Red-breasted Parakeet  Psittacula alexandri

Alexandrine Parakeet ◊  Psittacula eupatria

Rose-ringed Parakeet (Ring-necked P)  Psittacula krameri

Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike (Pied F-S)  Hemipus picatus

Common Woodshrike  Tephrodornis pondicerianus

Ashy Woodswallow  Artamus fuscus

Common Iora  Aegithina tiphia

Small Minivet  Pericrocotus cinnamomeus

Long-tailed Minivet  Pericrocotus ethologus

Scarlet Minivet  Pericrocotus speciosus

Indian Cuckooshrike  Coracina macei

Green Shrike-babbler  Pteruthius xanthochlorus

White-browed Shrike-babbler ◊  Pteruthius aeralatus

Maroon Oriole  Oriolus traillii  Heard only.

Black-hooded Oriole  Oriolus xanthornus

Bronzed Drongo  Dicrurus aeneus

Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo  Dicrurus remifer

Hair-crested Drongo  Dicrurus hottentottus

Ashy Drongo  Dicrurus leucophaeus

White-bellied Drongo ◊  Dicrurus caerulescens

Black Drongo  Dicrurus macrocercus

White-throated Fantail  Rhipidura albicollis

White-browed Fantail  Rhipidura aureola

Indian Paradise Flycatcher ◊  Terpsiphone paradisi

Great Grey Shrike  Lanius excubitor

Bay-backed Shrike  Lanius vittatus

Long-tailed Shrike  Lanius schach

Grey-backed Shrike  Lanius tephronotus

Eurasian Jay  Garrulus glandarius

Black-headed Jay ◊ (Lanceolated J)  Garrulus lanceolatus

Red-billed Blue Magpie  Urocissa erythroryncha

Common Green Magpie  Cissa chinensis  Brilliant views of one at one of the hides in Sattal.

Rufous Treepie  Dendrocitta vagabunda

Grey Treepie  Dendrocitta formosae

House Crow  Corvus splendens

Large-billed Crow  Corvus macrorhynchos

Indian Jungle Crow ◊  Corvus culminatus

Yellow-bellied Fantail  Chelidorhynx hypoxanthus

Grey-headed Canary-flycatcher  Culicicapa ceylonensis

Yellow-browed Tit  Sylviparus modestus

Coal Tit ◊ (Spot-winged T)  Periparus [ater] melanolophus

Cinereous Tit (Grey T)  Parus cinereus

Green-backed Tit  Parus monticolus

Himalayan Black-lored Tit ◊  Machlolophus xanthogenys

Ashy-crowned Sparrow-Lark ◊ (A-c Finch-L)  Eremopterix griseus

Indian Bush Lark ◊  Plocealauda erythroptera

Oriental Skylark  Alauda gulgula

Crested Lark  Galerida cristata

Greater Short-toed Lark  Calandrella brachydactyla

Ashy Bulbul  Hemixos flavala Heard only

Mountain Bulbul  Ixos mcclellandii

Black Bulbul ◊ (Himalayan B B)  Hypsipetes leucocephalus

Red-whiskered Bulbul  Pycnonotus jocosus

Red-vented Bulbul  Pycnonotus cafer

White-eared Bulbul  Pycnonotus leucotis

Himalayan Bulbul (White-cheeked B)  Pycnonotus leucogenys

Grey-throated Martin (G-t Sand M)  Riparia chinensis

Eurasian Crag Martin  Ptyonoprogne rupestris

Dusky Crag Martin  Ptyonoprogne concolor

Barn Swallow  Hirundo rustica

Wire-tailed Swallow  Hirundo smithii

Asian/Nepal House Martin  Delichon dasypus/nipalense

Eastern Red-rumped Swallow  Cecropis daurica

Streak-throated Swallow ◊ (Indian Cliff S)  Petrochelidon fluvicola

Scaly-breasted Cupwing  Pnoepyga albiventer

Nepal Cupwing ◊  Pnoepyga immaculata  Brilliant views of this beauty near the Kosi river.

Black-faced Warbler  Abroscopus schisticeps

Aberrant Bush Warbler  Horornis flavolivaceus

Grey-bellied Tesia  Tesia cyaniventer  Heard only.

Grey-sided Bush Warbler  Cettia brunnifrons

Chestnut-headed Tesia  Cettia castaneocoronata

Black-throated Bushtit (Red-headed Tit, B-t Tit)  Aegithalos concinnus

Buff-barred Warbler (Orange-b Leaf W)  Phylloscopus pulcher

Hume’s Leaf Warbler  Phylloscopus humei

Lemon-rumped Warbler (L-r Leaf W)  Phylloscopus chloronotus

Sulphur-bellied Warbler ◊  Phylloscopus griseolus

Tickell’s Leaf Warbler  Phylloscopus affinis

Smoky Warbler ◊ (S Leaf W)  Phylloscopus fuligiventer

Common Chiffchaff (Siberian C)  Phylloscopus [collybita] tristis

Whistler’s Warbler ◊  Phylloscopus whistleri

Greenish Warbler  Phylloscopus trochiloides

Grey-hooded Warbler  Phylloscopus xanthoschistos

Clamorous Reed Warbler ◊ (Indian R W)  Acrocephalus [stentoreus] brunnescens

Blyth’s Reed Warbler  Acrocephalus dumetorum

Sykes’s Warbler ◊  Iduna rama

Zitting Cisticola  Cisticola juncidis

Golden-headed Cisticola (Bright-capped C)  Cisticola exilis

Himalayan Prinia  Prinia crinigera

Grey-crowned Prinia ◊  Prinia cinereocapilla  A pair of this rarity near Pangot in the Himalayas.

Rufous-fronted Prinia ◊  Prinia buchanani

Grey-breasted Prinia  Prinia hodgsonii

Delicate Prinia ◊  Prinia lepida  One near Dhikala in Corbet NP.

Jungle Prinia ◊  Prinia sylvatica

Ashy Prinia  Prinia socialis

Plain Prinia  Prinia inornata

Common Tailorbird  Orthotomus sutorius

Lesser Whitethroat  Curruca curruca

Eastern Orphean Warbler  Curruca crassirostris

Yellow-eyed Babbler  Chrysomma sinense

Black-chinned Yuhina  Yuhina nigrimenta

Indian White-eye  Zosterops palpebrosus

Black-chinned Babbler ◊  Cyanoderma pyrrhops

Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler  Erythrogenys erythrogenys

Puff-throated Babbler  Pellorneum ruficeps

Striated Laughingthrush  Grammatoptila striata

Streaked Laughingthrush  Trochalopteron lineatum

Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush (Red-headed L)  Trochalopteron erythrocephalum

Rufous Sibia ◊  Heterophasia capistrata

Blue-winged Minla  Actinodura cyanouroptera

Red-billed Leiothrix  Leiothrix lutea

Large Grey Babbler ◊  Argya malcolmi

Jungle Babbler  Argya striata

Common Babbler ◊  Argya caudata

White-crested Laughingthrush  Garrulax leucolophus

Rufous-chinned Laughingthrush ◊  Ianthocincla rufogularis

White-throated Laughingthrush  Pterorhinus albogularis

Velvet-fronted Nuthatch  Sitta frontalis

White-tailed Nuthatch ◊  Sitta himalayensis

Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch  Sitta cinnamoventris

Bar-tailed Treecreeper ◊  Certhia himalayana

Jungle Myna ◊  Acridotheres fuscus

Bank Myna ◊  Acridotheres ginginianus

Common Myna  Acridotheres tristis

Indian Pied Myna  Gracupica contra

Brahminy Starling ◊  Sturnia pagodarum

Rosy Starling (Rose-coloured S)  Pastor roseus

Common Starling  Sturnus vulgaris

Long-billed Thrush ◊ (L-b Ground-T)  Zoothera monticola

Grey-winged Blackbird  Turdus boulboul

Black-throated Thrush  Turdus atrogularis

Oriental Magpie-Robin  Copsychus saularis

Indian Robin ◊  Copsychus fulicatus

White-rumped Shama  Copsychus malabaricus

Rufous-bellied Niltava  Niltava sundara

Small Niltava  Niltava macgrigoriae

Verditer Flycatcher  Eumyias thalassinus

Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher  Cyornis tickelliae  Heard only.

Bluethroat  Luscinia svecica

Siberian Rubythroat  Calliope calliope  Heard only.

Himalayan Rubythroat ◊  Calliope pectoralis

Spotted Forktail  Enicurus maculatus

Blue Whistling Thrush  Myophonus caeruleus

Slaty-blue Flycatcher  Ficedula tricolor

Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher (Orange-g F)  Ficedula strophiata

Ultramarine Flycatcher ◊  Ficedula superciliaris

Little Pied Flycatcher  Ficedula westermanni

Red-breasted Flycatcher  Ficedula parva

Taiga Flycatcher (Red-throated F)  Ficedula albicilla

Golden Bush Robin ◊  Tarsiger chrysaeus  Heard only.

Blue-fronted Redstart  Phoenicurus frontalis

Blue-capped Redstart ◊  Phoenicurus coeruleocephala  A total of three birds

Plumbeous Water Redstart (Plumbeous R)  Phoenicurus fuliginosus

White-capped Redstart (River Chat, W-c Water R)  Phoenicurus leucocephalus

Black Redstart  Phoenicurus ochruros

Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush  Monticola rufiventris

Blue Rock Thrush  Monticola solitarius

Grey Bush Chat  Saxicola ferreus

Pied Bush Chat  Saxicola caprata

Siberian Stonechat  Saxicola maurus

Brown Rock Chat ◊  Oenanthe fusca

Variable Wheatear ◊ (Eastern Pied W)  Oenanthe picata  Only one sighting, at the Kosi River in the north.

Brown Dipper  Cinclus pallasii

Golden-fronted Leafbird  Chloropsis aurifrons

Thick-billed Flowerpecker  Dicaeum agile

Fire-breasted Flowerpecker  Dicaeum ignipectus

Purple Sunbird  Cinnyris asiaticus

Green-tailed Sunbird  Aethopyga nipalensis

Black-throated Sunbird (B-breasted S)  Aethopyga saturata

Crimson Sunbird  Aethopyga siparaja

Yellow-throated Sparrow (Chestnut-shouldered Petronia)  Gymnoris xanthocollis

Sind Sparrow ◊  Passer pyrrhonotus  Ten in Sultanpur.

Russet Sparrow (Cinnamon S)  Passer cinnamomeus

House Sparrow  Passer domesticus

Black-breasted Weaver ◊  Ploceus benghalensis  One with Baya Weavers at Lake Soorval.

Baya Weaver  Ploceus philippinus

Indian Silverbill ◊  Euodice malabarica

Altai Accentor ◊  Prunella himalayana

Rufous-breasted Accentor  Prunella strophiata

Black-throated Accentor ◊  Prunella atrogularis  Two along the Vinayak road.

Western Yellow Wagtail (Sykes’s W)  Motacilla [flava] beema

Citrine Wagtail  Motacilla citreola

Grey Wagtail  Motacilla cinerea

White Wagtail (White W)  Motacilla [alba] alba

White Wagtail (Amur W)  Motacilla [alba] leucopsis

White-browed Wagtail ◊  Motacilla maderaspatensis

Paddyfield Pipit  Anthus rufulus

Blyth’s Pipit  Anthus godlewskii  Two near the Chambal river in Dholpur was a nice surprise.

Tawny Pipit  Anthus campestris

Long-billed Pipit  Anthus similis  A few were seen.

Tree Pipit  Anthus trivialis

Olive-backed Pipit  Anthus hodgsoni

Rosy Pipit  Anthus roseatus

Upland Pipit ◊  Anthus sylvanus  Brilliant views in the mountains near Manila.

Brown Bullfinch ◊  Pyrrhula nipalensis  A flock of six in Sattal was a nice surprise.

Common Rosefinch (Scarlet R)  Carpodacus erythrinus

Yellow-breasted Greenfinch ◊ (Himalayan G)  Chloris spinoides

Rock Bunting  Emberiza cia

White-capped Bunting ◊  Emberiza stewarti  Brilliant views of a male in Corbet.

MAMMALS

Asian Elephant (Indian E)  Elephas maximus

Jungle Cat  Felis chaus

Tiger  Panthera tigris  This year’s tour was amazing for Tiger sightings. First, we had three rather large cubs playing around near Dhikala in Corbet NP, and the next day a somewhat distant female with four (!) small cubs in the Bijrani range. In Ranthambhore, we had a total of three encounters (seeing 1-4 individuals per encounter) with ‘Arrowhead’ and its three near-adult cubs and one encounter with a young and shy female Tiger.

Indian Grey Mongoose (Common M)  Urva edwardsii

Ruddy Mongoose  Urva smithii

Golden Jackal (Common J)  Canis aureus

Sloth Bear  Melursus ursinus  One for the other vehicle in Ranthambhore.

Smooth-coated Otter  Lutrogale perspicillata

Yellow-throated Marten  Martes flavigula

Eurasian Wild Pig  Sus scrofa

Chital (Spotted D)  Axis axis

Hog Deer  Axis porcinus

Northern Red Muntjac (Indian M)  Muntiacus vaginalis

Sambar  Rusa unicolor

Nilgai (Blue Bull)  Boselaphus tragocamelus

Chinkara (Indian Gazelle)  Gazella bennettii

Brown Goral (Goral)  Naemorhedus goral

Indian Flying Fox  Pteropus giganteus

Rhesus Macaque  Macaca mulatta

Bengal Sacred Langur  Semnopithecus entellus

Terai Sacred Langur (Terai G L)  Semnopithecus hector

Nepal Sacred Langur  Semnopithecus schistaceus

Indian Hare  Lepus nigricollis

Northern Palm Squirrel  Funambulus pennantii

Black Rat  Rattus rattus

REPTILES

Gharial  Gavialis gangeticus

Marsh Mugger  Crocodylus palustris

Indian Soft-shell Turtle  Pangshura tentoria

Indian Pond Terrapin  Melanochelys trijuga

Oriental Garden Lizard  Calotes versicolor

Common House Gekko  Hemidactylus frenatus