Kumaon Birding Itinerary

The untouched villages, rustic landscapes and walking trails of Pangot make it one of the best places for exclusive bird-watching. Ornithologists and photographers are in for a treat.

Along the walking trails one can spot varied types of pheasants like the Cheer Pheasant, Khalij Pheasant and Koklas Pheasant. Kilbury forest area is perfect for spotting the Brown Wood Owl and streams around Pangot are home to many Forktails and Redstarts.

Exotic birds like Eurasian Jay, Striated Laughing Thrush and Himalayan Bulguls are quite common in Pangot making it a photographer’s paradise.

The 360-degree view of the surrounding areas and the close-up encounters with the birds make it an excellent spot for flying raptor photography.

Sattal is endowed with many more species of bird varieties than that of Pangot, some very common to the area and some very specific to the Himalayan terrain. The vast expanses of lakes and the cragged lanes attract many birds. Babblers, tits, bulbuls, warblers, minivets, woodpeckers, doves, mynah and the colourful barbets are found in huge numbers.  Winter is thriving with flocks of birds and is a good time to get a glimpse of some rare, distinct bird species.

The ranges in Corbett are a hit with nature lovers. Bijrani and Dhikala are best suited to go tiger sighting while Pawalgarh, Sitabani and Durgadevi are apt for bird watchers. The riverbanks attract different varieties of birds like Himalayan Pied Kingfisher, River Lapwing, Minivets etc.