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Nepal may be a small nation but it boasts of 847recorded
species of birds of which a majority are migratory in nature.
Although bird watching has not received as much attention as
it should, there are agencies promoting and conducting bird
watching tours.
Birding
is possible in almost all parts of the country, from the plains
(terai) through the mid hills and valleys right up to the
Himalayan Mountains. Bird watching can be done on foot while
on land or from a river raft on the water.
The two best locations for bird watching are the Koshi Tappu
Wildlife Reserve, which is more suited for birding than for
wildlife safari and the Royal Chitwan National Park, which
has a high count of birds. Around Kathmandu, Phulchowki is
the best site.
The better-known locations around Kathmandu valley are Phulchowki,
Godavari, Nagarjun, Shivapuri Watershed and Wildlife Reserve
and the Taudaha Lake. At Phulchowki are the Spiny Babbler,
cutia, Hawk Eagles, woodpeckers, parrot bill, etc. Nagarjun
has pheasants, magpies, sunbirds, etc. Shivapuri-Laughing
Thrush, eagles, flycathers, etc. and Taudaha has waterfowl.
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| Pokhara |
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Pokhara is known for sightings for jacana, tesias, snipe, bulbuls
etc around the lake areas.
The lake is surrounded by terraced hills and light forests which
are also ideal for birding. The lakeside is good for sighting
herons, gulls, ducks and pipits.
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| Koshi
Tappu Wildlife Reserve |
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Koshi Barrage & Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve lies
in the eastern terai. The wetlands here are the best location
anywhere for sighting waterfowl. About 26 species of ducks alone
can be found here. Then there are kites, ospreys, harriers,
kingfishers, falcons, partridges, vultures, storks, Swamp Francolin,
etc.
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| Royal
Chitwan National Park |
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The other locations for bird watching within Nepal are inside
the national parks in the terai like Royal Chitwan National
Park, which is one of the best locations for bird
watching owing to its large population of varied species of
birds. There is Sal forests, riverine forests and grassland
all rich in bird life. Then there is the river along which one
can raft or canoe gently while looking out for rare species.
Some of the species found here are Adjutant Storks, hornbills,
and sunbirds, Night Jars, Bengal Florican and the beautiful
Asian Paradise Flycatcher.
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| Royal
Bardia National Park |
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Royal Bardia National Park, which lies in western Nepal,
has similar forests and grassland as the Chitwan National Park.
Some of the birds seen here are Ruddy Shelducks, kites, darters,
gulls, cormorants, pratincoles, etc along the rivers and woodpeckers,
orioles, jungle fowl, prinias, peacocks, etc in the jungles.
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| Himalayan
regions |
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Then there are the national parks and conservation areas in
the Himalayan regions, which are rich in eagles, vultures
and also Nepal's national bird, the Himalayan Monal a.k.a. Impeyan
Pheasant. The Monal is mostly found in the Langtang National
Park. The better-known regions are the Annapurna Sanctuary,
Gosaikunda and Langtang treks, Jomsom trek, Sagarmatha National
Park, Upper Mai valley, Rara -Jumla trek and the Arun valley.
The best time to go birding in the terai is between October
and April while in the mountainous regions it is March to
May. December to March is considered the ideal time for the
terai. Travel agencies in Kathmandu organize bird watching
trips and they can be combined with wildlife safari, if the
national parks are your preferred sites for birding.
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