Rajasthan sits on one of the great flyways of Asia. Every winter, birds from Central Asia, Siberia and the Himalaya pour into its wetlands, grasslands and desert edges. The Birding Trail visits three sites that are each world class in their own way: Keoladeo National Park at Bharatpur, a UNESCO listed wetland famed for its waterbirds; Tal Chhapar, a small but extraordinary grassland of blackbuck and harriers; and Jorbeer near Bikaner, where wintering vultures and eagles gather in numbers rarely seen anywhere else in India.
Between them you can expect a trip list of well over 200 species in a single winter week, guided by local birders who know the calls, the roosts and the right hour.
Trail at a Glance
- Destinations: Keoladeo National Park (Bharatpur), Tal Chhapar Wildlife Sanctuary (Churu), Jorbeer Conservation Reserve (Bikaner)
- Suggested length: 6 to 7 days
- Best season: November to February, with October and March also rewarding
- Ideal for: Birders of every level, bird photographers and families with curious children
Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur
Keoladeo is a wetland made by people and reclaimed by birds. In the eighteenth century, Maharaja Suraj Mal of Bharatpur built a bund to hold monsoon water, creating a shallow marsh that later became a royal duck shooting reserve, visited by viceroys and maharajas. Today it is a national park of about 29 square kilometres and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985. More than 370 species of birds have been recorded here.
In winter the marshes fill with ducks and geese: Bar headed Geese, Greylag Geese, Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall and Common Teal. Painted Storks, Asian Openbills, Black necked Storks, spoonbills and ibises crowd the heronries, and Sarus Cranes, the tallest flying birds in the world, stalk the grasslands. Raptors include Greater Spotted Eagle, Eastern Imperial Eagle and Osprey, and the woodlands hold Dusky Eagle Owl, Indian Grey Hornbill and Yellow footed Green Pigeon.
No motor vehicles go beyond the entrance. You explore on foot, by bicycle or in licensed cycle rickshaws whose drivers are often superb spotters themselves. Keoladeo is about three and a half hours from Jaipur and around an hour from Agra.
Tal Chhapar Wildlife Sanctuary, Churu
Tal Chhapar is a flat, saline grassland of barely 7 square kilometres on the edge of the Thar, about four hours north of Jaipur. It is small, open and astonishingly rich. Herds of blackbuck, often around a thousand animals, graze the mothiya grass, and males with spiralling horns spar in the early light.
From September to March, Tal Chhapar becomes one of India’s most important harrier roosts. Montagu’s and Western Marsh Harriers are common, with Pallid and Hen Harriers in smaller numbers, and dozens can drift in to roost at dusk. Demoiselle Cranes winter here in hundreds, and the raptor list is outstanding: Eastern Imperial Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Tawny Eagle, Short toed Snake Eagle, Laggar Falcon and, in good years, Red headed and Cinereous Vultures. Look too for Desert Wheatear, Isabelline Shrike, larks, coursers and sandgrouse.
The sanctuary is also excellent for Indian fox, desert fox, jungle cat and the striking spiny tailed lizard, which emerges from its burrows on warm mornings.
Jorbeer Conservation Reserve, Bikaner
About 14 kilometres from Bikaner, Jorbeer is an unusual but unforgettable birding site. A large carcass dumping ground lies within the reserve, and in winter it draws birds of prey from across Asia. Egyptian Vultures are resident, while Eurasian Griffon, Himalayan Griffon and Cinereous Vultures arrive for the cold months. Steppe Eagles, migrating from Central Asia, can be seen in remarkable numbers, sitting on the ground and in the trees within metres of the track.
The surrounding scrub holds Tawny Eagle, Long legged Buzzard, Desert Wheatear, Variable Wheatear, Yellow eyed Pigeon in some winters and the elegant Demoiselle Crane. Jorbeer sits beside the National Research Centre on Camel, and a visit pairs well with Bikaner’s Junagarh Fort.
Suggested Plan
- Day 1: Jaipur to Bharatpur. Afternoon in Keoladeo by cycle rickshaw.
- Day 2: A full day in Keoladeo, on foot at dawn when the marsh is busiest, then the woodland trails.
- Day 3: Morning in Keoladeo, then return to Lalluji Luxe in Jaipur.
- Day 4: Drive to Tal Chhapar. Late afternoon in the grassland and the harrier roost at dusk.
- Day 5: Sunrise for blackbuck and cranes. Drive to Bikaner in the afternoon.
- Day 6: Morning at Jorbeer for vultures and eagles. Afternoon at Junagarh Fort.
- Day 7: Return to Jaipur, or continue west toward Jaisalmer and the Desert National Park.
Birding Tips
- Binoculars of 8×42 or 10×42 are ideal. A spotting scope helps at Keoladeo and Tal Chhapar.
- Winter mornings are cold and often misty, especially in December and January. Layer up.
- Jorbeer can be pungent. A scarf or mask helps.
- For photographers, a 500mm or 600mm lens is valuable for harriers and waterbirds.
- Keep a respectful distance from roosts and nesting colonies.
Love flamingos? Add our Sambhar Trail, or go back to all Wildlife Experiences.