Birding at the heart of a bird-watcher's paradise - Assam and the rest of NE India!
Places visited:
1) Gibon National Park, Assam
2) Kaziranga National Park, Assam
3) Assam-Nagaland border hills
4) Khonoma, Nagaland
5) Dumboor Lake, Tripura
6) Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary, Tripura
7) Loktak Lake, Manipur
Best Time to Visit : December to February (migratory season)
7) Loktak Lake, Manipur
Best Time to Visit : December to February (migratory season)
Birds spotted (with number and place) :
1) Lesser Whistling Duck - Large Flocks in Dumboor Lake, Trishna
2) Graylag Goose - 4 in Kaziranga Eastern Range
3) Bar-Headed Goose - Hundreds in Kaziranga
4) Ruddy Shelduck - 6 in Kaziranga Eastern Range
5) Gadwall - 6 in Loktak Lake
6) Eurasian Wigeon - 2 in Kaziranga Eastern Range
7) Mallard - many wild ducks in Loktak Lake and Kaziranga
8) Spot-Billed Duck - 6 in Kaziranga Eastern Range
9) Northern Pintail - 20 in Kaziranga
10) Northern Shoveller - Single pair in Dumboor Lake
11) Garganey - Huge numbers in Kaziranga Eastern Range
12) Green-Winged Teal - Many in Kaziranga Central Range
13) Common Pochard - Only 1 in Kaziranga Central Range
14) Red Junglefowl - Common in Kaziranga
15) Little Grebe - 3 in Loktak Lake
16) Asian Openbill Stork - Hundreds in Majuli, and all over NE
17) Woolly-Necked Stork - 4 in Kaziranga Central Range
18) Black-Necked Stork - 2 in Kaziranga Eastern Range
19) Lesser Adjutant - Common in Kaziranga and Dipor Beel
20) Painted Stork - Only 1 in Kaziranga Eastern Range
21) Indian Cormorant - Very common all over
22) Great Cormorant - 1 in Kaziranga Central Range, 2 in Dumboor Lake
23) Little Cormorant - Very common all over
24) Oriental Darter - 6 in Kaziranga Eastern Range
25) Spot-Billed Pelican - 2 in Kaziranga Central Range
26) Grey Heron - Very Common in all waterbodies
27) Purple Heron - Few in Dipor Beel
28) Great Egret - Very Common Everywhere
29) Intermediate Egret - Relatively fewer in Kaziranga
30) Little Egret - Very Common
31) Western Reef Egret - Only 1 in Dipor Beel
32) Cattle Egret - Many in paddyfields
33) Indian Pond Heron - Abundant in water bodies
34) Striated Heron - Only 1 in Kaziranga Eastern Range along the Brahmaputra
35) Black-Crowned Night Heron - 1 in Dipor Beel
36) Black Kite - 7 in Dipor Beel
37) Pallas's Fish Eagle - 1 in Kaziranga Eastern Range, spotted with nest
38) Grey-Headed Fish Eagle - 3 in Kaziranga Eastern Range, 1 in Central Range
39) Crested Serpent Eagle - 2 in Kaziranga, 1 in Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary
40) Shikra - 1 in Trishna
41) Changeable Hawk Eagle - 1 in Kaziranga Eastern Range
42) Common Kestrel - 1 in Dipor Beel
43) Water Rail - 2 in Neemati, the wetlands near the ferry to Majuli
44) White-Breasted Waterhen - Extremely Common, but shy
45) Purple Moorhen - Many in Neemati wetlands
46) Common Coot - Few in Dumboor Lake
47) Common Moorhen - Few in Neemati wetlands
48) Northern Lapwing - 4 in Kaziranga Eastern Range
49) Grey-Headed Lapwing - 3 in Kaziranga Eastern Range
50) Red-Wattled Lapwing - Many in Dipor Beel
51) Kentish Plover - 2 in Kaziranga ER
52) Little Ringed Plover - 1 in Kaziranga ER
53) Black-Winged Stilt - 3 in Dipor Beel
54) Pheasant-Tailed Jacana - 3 in Trishna and 2 in Dipor Beel
55) Bronze-Winged Jacana - 2 in Trishna
56) Common Sandpiper - Many all over Kaziranga
57) Common Greenshank - 2 in Kaziranga Central Range
58) Marsh Sandpiper - 1 in Kaziranga ER
59) Wood Sandpiper - 2 in Kaziranga CR
60) Spotted Redshank - 1 in Kaziranga ER
61) Common Redshank - Few in Dipor Beel
62) Common Snipe - 2 in Kaziranga CR
63) Black-Headed Gull - Many in Kaziranga ER
64) Brown-Headed Gull - 1 flying over in Kaziranga ER
65) Whiskered Tern - Few in Dipor Beel
66) Blue Rock Pigeon - Abundant
67) Oriental Turtle Dove - 3 in Trishna
68) Eurasian Collared Dove - 2 in Jorhat
69) Spotted Dove - Abundant
70) Emerald Dove - 2 in hill forests between Anantpur and Dumboor Lake
71) Yellow-Footed Green Pigeon - Many in Kaziranga ER, Trishna and Dipor Beel
72) Wedge-Tailed Pigeon - 2 in Jorhat, 1 in Khonoma
73) Green Imperial-Pigeon - 6 in Kaziranga ER
74) Rose-Ringed Parakeet - Plenty in Assam
75) Red-Breasted Parakeet - Large numbers in Trishna and Gibon NP
76) Asian Koel - Few in Guwahati
77) Green-Billed Malkoha - 1 in Trishna
78) Greater Coucal - Many in Trishna
79) Lesser Coucal - 3 in Kaziranga CR
80) Brown Fish Owl - 1 in Kaziranga ER
81) Spotted Owlet - 1 in Kaziranga ER
82) Asian Barred Owlet - 1 in Trishna
83) Asian Palm Swift - 2 in Jorhat
84) House Swift - Abundant
85) White-Breasted Kingfisher - Abundant
86) Common Kingfisher - Very Common throughout NE plains
87) Pied Kingfisher - Strangely uncommon. 2 in Trishna
88) Blue-Bearded Bee-Eater - 1 in Gibon NP
89) Little Green Bee-Eater - 2 in Jorhat
90) Chestnut-Headed Bee-Eater - 6 in Trishna
91) Indian Roller - 4 in Majuli, 2 near Dumboor Lake
92) Lineated Barbet - 2 in Kohora, 1 in Trishna
93) Blue-Throated Barbet - 3 in Dipor Beel, 2 in Khonoma
94) Coppersmith Barbet - 2 in Kohora
95) Fulvous-Breasted Woodpecker - 1 in Belonia
96) Rufous Woodpecker - 1 in Trishna
97) Greater Yellownape - 3 in Trishna
98) Greater Flameback - 1 in Kaziranga ER
99) Black-Rumped Flameback - 4 in Kohora
100) Grey-Headed Woodpecker - 1 in Gibon NP
101) Common Woodshrike - 2 in Khonoma
102) Ashy Woodswallow - 2 in Titabor
103) Long-Tailed Minivet - 1 in Naga Hills
104) Scarlet Minivet - 8 in Gibon NP
105) Grey-Chinned Minivet - 2 in Khonoma
106) Long-Tailed Shrike - 3 in Kakching
107) Grey-Backed Shrike - 2 in Titabor, many in Kaziranga ER
108) Black-Hooded Oriole - 2 in Titabor, 1 in Neemati
109) Black-Naped Oriole - 1 flying over in Trishna (not 100% confident)
110) Black Drongo - Abundant
111) Ashy Drongo - Also very common but overlooked due to confusion with Black Drongo. At least 20 in Khonoma
112) Bronzed Drongo - 3 in Trishna
113) Spangled Drongo - 1 in Gibon NP
114) Greater Racket-Tailed Drongo - 2 in Trishna, 1 near Dumboor Lake, 1 in Gibon NP
115) Black-Naped Monarch - 1 in Trishna
116) Rufous Treepie - Abundant in Assam
117) House Crow - Common only in Assam
118) Thick-Billed Crow - Very common in Assam
119) Bengal Bushlark - 2 in Dipor Beel
120) Greater Short-Toed Lark - 2 in Dumboor Lake
121) Barn Swallow - Abundant
122) Yellow-Bellied Fantail Flycatcher - 1 in Khonoma
123) Grey-Headed Canary Flycatcher - 2 in Naga Hills, 1 in Trishna
124) Great Tit - 2 in Dipor Beel
125) Black-Crested Bulbul - 2 in Trishna
126) Red-Vented Bulbul - Abundant
127) Flavescent Bulbul - 1 in Khonoma
128) Black Bulbul - 5 in Khonoma
129) Olive Bulbul - 1 near Dumboor Lake
130) Ashy-Throated Warbler - 1 in Khonoma
131) Greenish Warbler - 1 in Trishna
132) Booted Warbler - 1 in Gibon NP
133) Striated Grassbird - 1 in Jorhat
134) Common Tailorbird - 4 in Kakching
135) Dark-Necked Tailorbird - 1 in Naga Hills
136) Striated Prinia - 1 in Dipor Beel
137) Plain Prinia - 1 in Dipor Beel
138) Striated Babbler - 2 in Titabor
139) Red-Billed Leiothrix - 2 in Naga Hills
140) Grey Sibia - 4 in Khonoma
141) Blue-Winged Minla - 2 in Khonoma
142) Asian Brown Flycatcher - 2 in Trishna
143) Oriental Magpie Robin - 4 in Titabor
144) Verditer Flycatcher - 1 in Khonoma
145) Black-Backed Forktail - 2 in Dumboor Lake
146) Blue Whistling Thrush - 2 in Gibon NP, 1 in Kohora
147) Plumbeous Redstart - 1 in Khonoma
148) White-Capped Water Redstart - 1 in Khonoma, 1 in Dumboor Lake
149) Chestnut-Bellied Rock Thrush - 2 in Khonoma
150) Common Stonechat - Abundant
151) Pied Bushchat - 2 in Trishna
152) Grey Bushchat - 4 in Titabor
153) Indian Blackbird - 2 in Khonoma
154) Grey-Winged Blackbird - 1 in Trishna
155) Jungle Myna - Common in Assam
156) Common Myna - Abundant
157) White-Vented Myna - Abundant in Tripura
158) Chestnut-Tailed Starling - 2 in Neemati
159) Asian Pied Starling - Very common in Assam
160) Scarlet-Backed Flowerpecker - 1 in Trishna
161) Purple Sunbird - 4 in Trishna
162) Black-Throated Sunbird - 1 in Dipor Beel
163) Crimson Sunbird - 4 in Khonoma
164) Fire-Tailed Sunbird - 1 in Khonoma
165) Little Spiderhunter - 1 in Naga Hills
166) Yellow Wagtail - 2 in Dipor Beel
167) Grey Wagtail - Abundant
168) White Wagtail - Abundant
169) Olive-Backed Pipit - 3 in Dipor Beel
170) Rosy Pipit - 4 in Neemati
171) House Sparrow - Fairly common in Assam
172) Baya Weaver - 2 in Titabor
173) Scaly-Breasted Munia - 8 in Kakching, 2 in Naga Hills
174) Great Indian Hornbill - Pair in Kaziranga CR
175) Oriental Pied Hornbill - 3 in Kaziranga ER
Other Animals Spotted:
1) Rhesus Macaque - 2 in Kaziranga ER
2) Pig-Tailed Macaque - 1 in Gibon NP
3) Stump-Tailed Macaque - 1 in Gibon NP
4) Capped Langur - 6 in Gibon NP
5) Hoolock Gibbon - 1 male in Gibon NP (flagship species)
6) Indian Rhinoceros - 5 in Kaziranga WR, 2 in CR, 1 in ER
7) Royal Bengal Tiger - 1 in Kaziranga ER
8) Common Bengal Monitor Lizard - 1 in Kaziranga ER
9) Ganges River Dolphin - 1 jumping in Brahmaputra (Kaziranga ER)
10) Unidentified Turtle (Help in ID will be appreciated!) - 1 in Kaziranga ER
11) Black (Malayan) Giant Squirrel - 2 in Gibon NP
12) Asian Water Buffalo - Many wild in Kaziranga
13) Asian Elephant - Many in Kaziranga
14) Eastern Swamp Deer - Plenty in Kaziranga
15) Wild Boar - 1 in Kaziranga CR
Some notes for birders wanting to visit:
1. Kaziranga National Park : Eastern Range is famous for birds and less frequented by tourists. Western Range is good for spotting mammals like Swamp Deer and Rhinoceros. Try to get a officer with the rifle in your jeep safari since these officers know in which areas which birds can be found.
2. Gibon National Park : Permission is needed from the Forest Officer (or whatever its called). You get a guide with very good spotting skills so birding is pretty decent there.
3. The best birding spot for small birds like Minivets and Sunbirds is the NE hill forests. Khonoma, Assam-Nagaland border, Manipur hills are great for a variety of small but beautiful birds. Khonoma, especially, has an amazing bird density.
4. Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary : Go early! You can spot owls early at dawn. Later on, woodpeckers can be spotted easily. This place has a large woodpecker density.
5. The hill forest between Anantpur and Dumboor Lake is also great for birds, especially redstarts and forktails, which can be easily spotted near the streams that flow through.
6. Dumboor Lake : Try to take a boat ride (you have to pay Rs. 1000 approx) to some of the islands in the middle of the lake for the best bird sights. A lot of migratory birds in this serene lake.
2) Graylag Goose - 4 in Kaziranga Eastern Range
3) Bar-Headed Goose - Hundreds in Kaziranga
 |
| Bar-Headed Goose |
4) Ruddy Shelduck - 6 in Kaziranga Eastern Range
 |
| Ruddy Shelduck |
5) Gadwall - 6 in Loktak Lake
6) Eurasian Wigeon - 2 in Kaziranga Eastern Range
7) Mallard - many wild ducks in Loktak Lake and Kaziranga
8) Spot-Billed Duck - 6 in Kaziranga Eastern Range
9) Northern Pintail - 20 in Kaziranga
10) Northern Shoveller - Single pair in Dumboor Lake
11) Garganey - Huge numbers in Kaziranga Eastern Range
12) Green-Winged Teal - Many in Kaziranga Central Range
13) Common Pochard - Only 1 in Kaziranga Central Range
14) Red Junglefowl - Common in Kaziranga
 |
| Red Junglefowl |
15) Little Grebe - 3 in Loktak Lake
16) Asian Openbill Stork - Hundreds in Majuli, and all over NE
17) Woolly-Necked Stork - 4 in Kaziranga Central Range
 |
| Woolly-Necked Stork |
18) Black-Necked Stork - 2 in Kaziranga Eastern Range
 |
| Black-Necked Stork |
19) Lesser Adjutant - Common in Kaziranga and Dipor Beel
 |
| Lesser Adjutant |
20) Painted Stork - Only 1 in Kaziranga Eastern Range
21) Indian Cormorant - Very common all over
22) Great Cormorant - 1 in Kaziranga Central Range, 2 in Dumboor Lake
 |
| Great Cormorant |
23) Little Cormorant - Very common all over
 |
| Little Cormorant |
24) Oriental Darter - 6 in Kaziranga Eastern Range
25) Spot-Billed Pelican - 2 in Kaziranga Central Range
26) Grey Heron - Very Common in all waterbodies
27) Purple Heron - Few in Dipor Beel
28) Great Egret - Very Common Everywhere
29) Intermediate Egret - Relatively fewer in Kaziranga
30) Little Egret - Very Common
31) Western Reef Egret - Only 1 in Dipor Beel
32) Cattle Egret - Many in paddyfields
33) Indian Pond Heron - Abundant in water bodies
 |
| Indian Pond Heron |
34) Striated Heron - Only 1 in Kaziranga Eastern Range along the Brahmaputra
 |
| Striated (Little Green) Heron |
35) Black-Crowned Night Heron - 1 in Dipor Beel
36) Black Kite - 7 in Dipor Beel
 |
| Black Kite |
37) Pallas's Fish Eagle - 1 in Kaziranga Eastern Range, spotted with nest
 |
| Pallas's Fishing Eagle |
38) Grey-Headed Fish Eagle - 3 in Kaziranga Eastern Range, 1 in Central Range
 |
| Grey-Headed Fishing Eagle |
39) Crested Serpent Eagle - 2 in Kaziranga, 1 in Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary
 |
| Crested Serpent Eagle |
 |
| Crested Serpent Eagle |
41) Changeable Hawk Eagle - 1 in Kaziranga Eastern Range
 |
| Changable Hawk-Eagle |
42) Common Kestrel - 1 in Dipor Beel
 |
| Common Kestrel |
43) Water Rail - 2 in Neemati, the wetlands near the ferry to Majuli
44) White-Breasted Waterhen - Extremely Common, but shy
 |
| White-Breasted Waterhen |
45) Purple Moorhen - Many in Neemati wetlands
46) Common Coot - Few in Dumboor Lake
47) Common Moorhen - Few in Neemati wetlands
48) Northern Lapwing - 4 in Kaziranga Eastern Range
49) Grey-Headed Lapwing - 3 in Kaziranga Eastern Range
 |
| Ruddy Shelduck and Grey-Headed Lapwing |
50) Red-Wattled Lapwing - Many in Dipor Beel
51) Kentish Plover - 2 in Kaziranga ER
52) Little Ringed Plover - 1 in Kaziranga ER
53) Black-Winged Stilt - 3 in Dipor Beel
54) Pheasant-Tailed Jacana - 3 in Trishna and 2 in Dipor Beel
 |
| Pheasant-Tailed Jacana (immature) |
55) Bronze-Winged Jacana - 2 in Trishna
56) Common Sandpiper - Many all over Kaziranga
57) Common Greenshank - 2 in Kaziranga Central Range
 |
| Common Greenshank |
59) Wood Sandpiper - 2 in Kaziranga CR
 |
| Wood Sandpiper |
60) Spotted Redshank - 1 in Kaziranga ER
61) Common Redshank - Few in Dipor Beel
62) Common Snipe - 2 in Kaziranga CR
 |
| Common Snipe |
63) Black-Headed Gull - Many in Kaziranga ER
64) Brown-Headed Gull - 1 flying over in Kaziranga ER
65) Whiskered Tern - Few in Dipor Beel
66) Blue Rock Pigeon - Abundant
67) Oriental Turtle Dove - 3 in Trishna
68) Eurasian Collared Dove - 2 in Jorhat
69) Spotted Dove - Abundant
70) Emerald Dove - 2 in hill forests between Anantpur and Dumboor Lake
71) Yellow-Footed Green Pigeon - Many in Kaziranga ER, Trishna and Dipor Beel
 |
| Yellow-Footed Green Pigeon |
72) Wedge-Tailed Pigeon - 2 in Jorhat, 1 in Khonoma
73) Green Imperial-Pigeon - 6 in Kaziranga ER
 |
| Green Imperial Pigeon |
74) Rose-Ringed Parakeet - Plenty in Assam
75) Red-Breasted Parakeet - Large numbers in Trishna and Gibon NP
 |
| Red-Breasted Parakeet |
76) Asian Koel - Few in Guwahati
77) Green-Billed Malkoha - 1 in Trishna
78) Greater Coucal - Many in Trishna
79) Lesser Coucal - 3 in Kaziranga CR
80) Brown Fish Owl - 1 in Kaziranga ER
 |
| Brown Fish Owl |
81) Spotted Owlet - 1 in Kaziranga ER
 |
| Spotted Owlet |
82) Asian Barred Owlet - 1 in Trishna
 |
| Asian Barred Owlet |
83) Asian Palm Swift - 2 in Jorhat
84) House Swift - Abundant
85) White-Breasted Kingfisher - Abundant
86) Common Kingfisher - Very Common throughout NE plains
 |
| Common Kingfisher |
 |
| Common Kingfisher |
88) Blue-Bearded Bee-Eater - 1 in Gibon NP
89) Little Green Bee-Eater - 2 in Jorhat
90) Chestnut-Headed Bee-Eater - 6 in Trishna
 |
| Chestnut-Headed Bee-Eater |
91) Indian Roller - 4 in Majuli, 2 near Dumboor Lake
92) Lineated Barbet - 2 in Kohora, 1 in Trishna
 |
| Lineated Barbet |
93) Blue-Throated Barbet - 3 in Dipor Beel, 2 in Khonoma
 |
| Blue-Throated Barbet (immature) |
 |
| Blue-Throated Barbet |
94) Coppersmith Barbet - 2 in Kohora
95) Fulvous-Breasted Woodpecker - 1 in Belonia
 |
| Fulvous-Breasted Woodpecker |
96) Rufous Woodpecker - 1 in Trishna
 |
| Rufous Woodpecker |
98) Greater Flameback - 1 in Kaziranga ER
99) Black-Rumped Flameback - 4 in Kohora
100) Grey-Headed Woodpecker - 1 in Gibon NP
101) Common Woodshrike - 2 in Khonoma
 |
| Common Woodshrike |
102) Ashy Woodswallow - 2 in Titabor
103) Long-Tailed Minivet - 1 in Naga Hills
104) Scarlet Minivet - 8 in Gibon NP
105) Grey-Chinned Minivet - 2 in Khonoma
 |
| Grey-Chinned Minivet |
106) Long-Tailed Shrike - 3 in Kakching
107) Grey-Backed Shrike - 2 in Titabor, many in Kaziranga ER
 |
| Grey-Backed Shrike |
108) Black-Hooded Oriole - 2 in Titabor, 1 in Neemati
 |
| Black-Hooded Oriole (immature) |
109) Black-Naped Oriole - 1 flying over in Trishna (not 100% confident)
110) Black Drongo - Abundant
 |
| Black Drongo |
111) Ashy Drongo - Also very common but overlooked due to confusion with Black Drongo. At least 20 in Khonoma
112) Bronzed Drongo - 3 in Trishna
113) Spangled Drongo - 1 in Gibon NP
114) Greater Racket-Tailed Drongo - 2 in Trishna, 1 near Dumboor Lake, 1 in Gibon NP
 |
| Greater Racket-Tailed Drongos |
115) Black-Naped Monarch - 1 in Trishna
116) Rufous Treepie - Abundant in Assam
 |
| Rufous (Indian) Treepie |
117) House Crow - Common only in Assam
118) Thick-Billed Crow - Very common in Assam
 |
| Thick-Billed (Jungle) Crow |
119) Bengal Bushlark - 2 in Dipor Beel
 |
| Bengal Bushlark |
120) Greater Short-Toed Lark - 2 in Dumboor Lake
 |
| Greater Short-Toed Lark |
121) Barn Swallow - Abundant
122) Yellow-Bellied Fantail Flycatcher - 1 in Khonoma
 |
| Yellow-Bellied Fantail (Fairy) Flycatcher |
123) Grey-Headed Canary Flycatcher - 2 in Naga Hills, 1 in Trishna
 |
| Grey-Headed Canary Flycatcher |
124) Great Tit - 2 in Dipor Beel
125) Black-Crested Bulbul - 2 in Trishna
 |
| Black-Crested Bulbul |
126) Red-Vented Bulbul - Abundant
127) Flavescent Bulbul - 1 in Khonoma
128) Black Bulbul - 5 in Khonoma
129) Olive Bulbul - 1 near Dumboor Lake
130) Ashy-Throated Warbler - 1 in Khonoma
 |
| Ashy-Throated Warbler |
131) Greenish Warbler - 1 in Trishna
132) Booted Warbler - 1 in Gibon NP
 |
| Booted Warbler |
133) Striated Grassbird - 1 in Jorhat
134) Common Tailorbird - 4 in Kakching
135) Dark-Necked Tailorbird - 1 in Naga Hills
 |
| Dark-Necked Tailorbird |
136) Striated Prinia - 1 in Dipor Beel
137) Plain Prinia - 1 in Dipor Beel
138) Striated Babbler - 2 in Titabor
139) Red-Billed Leiothrix - 2 in Naga Hills
140) Grey Sibia - 4 in Khonoma
 |
| Grey Sibia |
141) Blue-Winged Minla - 2 in Khonoma
142) Asian Brown Flycatcher - 2 in Trishna
 |
| Asian Brown Flycatcher |
143) Oriental Magpie Robin - 4 in Titabor
144) Verditer Flycatcher - 1 in Khonoma
145) Black-Backed Forktail - 2 in Dumboor Lake
 |
| Black-Backed Forktail |
146) Blue Whistling Thrush - 2 in Gibon NP, 1 in Kohora
 |
| Blue Whistling Thrush |
147) Plumbeous Redstart - 1 in Khonoma
148) White-Capped Water Redstart - 1 in Khonoma, 1 in Dumboor Lake
 |
| White-Capped Water Redstart |
149) Chestnut-Bellied Rock Thrush - 2 in Khonoma
 |
| Chestnut-Bellied Rock Thrush |
150) Common Stonechat - Abundant
 |
| Common Stonechat |
151) Pied Bushchat - 2 in Trishna
152) Grey Bushchat - 4 in Titabor
153) Indian Blackbird - 2 in Khonoma
154) Grey-Winged Blackbird - 1 in Trishna
155) Jungle Myna - Common in Assam
156) Common Myna - Abundant
157) White-Vented Myna - Abundant in Tripura
158) Chestnut-Tailed Starling - 2 in Neemati
 |
| Chestnut-Tailed Starling |
159) Asian Pied Starling - Very common in Assam
160) Scarlet-Backed Flowerpecker - 1 in Trishna
161) Purple Sunbird - 4 in Trishna
162) Black-Throated Sunbird - 1 in Dipor Beel
 |
| Black-Throated Sunbird |
163) Crimson Sunbird - 4 in Khonoma
164) Fire-Tailed Sunbird - 1 in Khonoma
165) Little Spiderhunter - 1 in Naga Hills
 |
| Little Spiderhunter |
 |
| Little Spiderhunter |
166) Yellow Wagtail - 2 in Dipor Beel
167) Grey Wagtail - Abundant
168) White Wagtail - Abundant
169) Olive-Backed Pipit - 3 in Dipor Beel
 |
| Olive-Backed Pipit |
170) Rosy Pipit - 4 in Neemati
 |
| Rosy Pipit |
171) House Sparrow - Fairly common in Assam
172) Baya Weaver - 2 in Titabor
173) Scaly-Breasted Munia - 8 in Kakching, 2 in Naga Hills
 |
| Scaly-Breasted (Spotted) Munia |
 |
| Great Indian Hornbill |
Other Animals Spotted:
1) Rhesus Macaque - 2 in Kaziranga ER
2) Pig-Tailed Macaque - 1 in Gibon NP
3) Stump-Tailed Macaque - 1 in Gibon NP
4) Capped Langur - 6 in Gibon NP
 |
| Capped Langur |
5) Hoolock Gibbon - 1 male in Gibon NP (flagship species)
 |
| Hoolock Gibbon |
6) Indian Rhinoceros - 5 in Kaziranga WR, 2 in CR, 1 in ER
 |
| Indian Rhinoceros |
7) Royal Bengal Tiger - 1 in Kaziranga ER
8) Common Bengal Monitor Lizard - 1 in Kaziranga ER
9) Ganges River Dolphin - 1 jumping in Brahmaputra (Kaziranga ER)
10) Unidentified Turtle (Help in ID will be appreciated!) - 1 in Kaziranga ER
 |
| Unidentified Turtle |
11) Black (Malayan) Giant Squirrel - 2 in Gibon NP
12) Asian Water Buffalo - Many wild in Kaziranga
13) Asian Elephant - Many in Kaziranga
14) Eastern Swamp Deer - Plenty in Kaziranga
 |
| Eastern Swamp Deer |
15) Wild Boar - 1 in Kaziranga CR
Some notes for birders wanting to visit:
1. Kaziranga National Park : Eastern Range is famous for birds and less frequented by tourists. Western Range is good for spotting mammals like Swamp Deer and Rhinoceros. Try to get a officer with the rifle in your jeep safari since these officers know in which areas which birds can be found.
2. Gibon National Park : Permission is needed from the Forest Officer (or whatever its called). You get a guide with very good spotting skills so birding is pretty decent there.
3. The best birding spot for small birds like Minivets and Sunbirds is the NE hill forests. Khonoma, Assam-Nagaland border, Manipur hills are great for a variety of small but beautiful birds. Khonoma, especially, has an amazing bird density.
4. Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary : Go early! You can spot owls early at dawn. Later on, woodpeckers can be spotted easily. This place has a large woodpecker density.
5. The hill forest between Anantpur and Dumboor Lake is also great for birds, especially redstarts and forktails, which can be easily spotted near the streams that flow through.
6. Dumboor Lake : Try to take a boat ride (you have to pay Rs. 1000 approx) to some of the islands in the middle of the lake for the best bird sights. A lot of migratory birds in this serene lake.
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