Spotting birds in Uttarakhand, a birdwatcher’s heaven

Uttarakhand, naturally blessed with mountains, rivers and forests, is rightly known as birdwatcher’s heaven. During the peak migratory seasons, the beautiful land of Uttarakhand gets prettier with a number of gorgeous migratory birds flocking the various regions of the state. The entire state becomes a welcoming shelter for birds from across the globe. If you have a penchant for birds and want to witness birds in their natural habitat, then Uttarakhand is your destination. Among several amazing bird spotting destinations in Uttarakhand, we have picked the best five for your convenience. Go explore them!

Pangot, Nainital
Enclosed with mountains and jungles, Pangot is a birdwatcher’s paradise in the true sense. Around 15 km from Nainital, Pangot has all the quietness and solitude that birds and humans need. The place doesn’t have several lodging options but the ones that are there are simply stunning. You’ll notice people sitting for hours with camera in their hands and waiting for their favourite birds to arrive. More than 580 bird species have been recorded in the region, and you can easily spot khaleej pheasant, Himalayan griffon, blue-winged minla, and woodpecker in Pangot.

Rajaji National Park, Dehradun

Rajaji National Park in Dehradun is a hub of wide species of flora, fauna, and avifauna. When it comes to birds, the place is known to be home to around 400 bird species, including endemic, resident, and migratory birds. Jungle bush quail, grey francolin, kingfishers, vultures, barbets, comb duck, Eurasian wigeon, red crested pochard, fire tailed sunbird, and pheasants can be seen here in their natural habitat.

Neel Dhara Pakshi Vihar, Haridwar


Yet another great location, Neel Dhara Pakshi Vihar is around 4 km from Har ki Pauri in Haridwar at the Bhimgoda Barrage. The entire area behind the barrage is known as Neel Dhara Pakshi Vihar, and during the peak winter season, the area gets flooded with a wide species of migratory birds. One can easily spot Siberian cranes here at a point called Lajjiwala. If possible, visit early in the morning to catch birds in abundance.

Asan Barrage Bird Sanctuary, Dehradun
Asan Barrage in Doon Valley in Dehradun attracts huge number of migratory birds and bird lovers from across the country. Situated on the confluence of two rivers, namely Asan and Yamuna, the sanctuary is home to 53 species of birds, and among this, 19 are migratory from Eurasia. Not only this, the place is also globally acknowledged for spotting of some of the globally endangered species mentioned in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red Data Book.

Naina Devi Bird Reserve, Nainital


Naina Devi Himalayan Bird Conservation Reserve in Nainital is of huge importance for ardent bird lovers. There are several birding trails inside, and easily spotted here are bird species like hill partridge, Himalayan griffon, koklass pheasant, rufous sibia, yellow-breasted greenfinch, red-billed leiothrix, black-throated tit, rock bunting, and green-tailed sunbird, to list a few. Among these, Himalayan griffon and bearded vulture are endangered bird species. So now you know why this place is of huge importance.