Bird Watching

The Northeast is endowed with a very rich heritage of flora and fauna. The region is home to a large variety of birds. In addition, many migratory birds visit the region every year during the winter months.

The total number of bird species known to science as inhabiting the earth today has been estimated as about 8600. If subspecies or geographical races are taken into account, the figure would rise to nearly 30,000. It is estimated that the Indian subcontinent is home to about 2100 forms of which over 300 are winter visitors, chiefly from the Palaearctic Region to the north. A large proportion of these birds can be seen in the Dooars, Sikkim and Darjeeling regions.

The Indian subcontinent is divided into five geographical primary subdivisions in order to understand the bird habitat better. Interestingly, this region is the confluence of three of the five subdivisions, namely the Indo-Gangetic Plain, The Himalayas and Assam. This has resulted in the sighting of a large variety of avifauna in the region.

The birds that are commonly visible in the area include water birds like Pelican, Cormorant, Heron, Egret, Stark, Ibis, and different types of Ducks and Goose. The other common bird species include different types of Myna, Stint, Snipe, River Turn, Pigeon, Swift, Hoopoe, Woodpecker, Swallow, Martin, Shrike and many other bird varieties.