Introduction
• Bird watching in Chitwan is one of the best activities to do in Nepal. This experience is doable in the Chitwan National Park. It is the oldest protected area in Nepal, located at the foot of the Himalayas, in the Chitwan district, about 200 kilometers southwest of Kathmandu. This national park was founded in 1973 and covered a total area of 932 km². The national park comprises various ecosystems, including the Churia Hills, the Trishuli River’s backwaters that cross the region, the Rapti River floodplains, Reu and Narayani floodplains. The Churia Hills slowly rise east from 150m to over 800m. This rich natural heritage made Chitwan National Park a perfect place for birds.
Bird watching in Chitwan: an amazing experience
• Every year, bird watchers arrive from all over the world to observe the park’s avifauna. While practicing Bird Watching in Chitwan, you will noticethe largest number of bird species. This is attributed to the fact that Chitwan has a wide range of habitat types to accommodate many volatile species.
• The Chitwan Valley comprises tropical and subtropical forests. Salt forests cover 70% of the park. The leaves of these trees are used locally to make dishes for festivals and religious offerings. The meadow covers 20% of the national park area.
Bird Watching in Chitwan: many bird species to discover
• Bird Watching in Chitwan will allow you to discover 10 breeding species that Nepal can claim to have. We can cite, for example, the Bengal, the Red-Necked garrulax, the Andalusian Turnix, the Striped Graminicola, and the Slender-Billed Craterope.
• Additionally, Chitwan is the only protected area where the following bird species considered to be at risk in Nepal have been found: Chinese Bittern (Ixobrychus Sinensis), Common Baza (Aviceda Leuphotes), Laggar Falcon (Falco jugger), Painted Quail (Excalfactoria Chinensis), Large-Billed Stock Dove (Treron Curvirostra), Brown-Mantled Carpophagus (Ducula Badia), Vernal Coryllis (Loriculus Vernalis, Collared Cuckoo (Clamator Coromandus), Sonnerat’s Cuckoo (Cacomantis Sonneratii) ), Red Owl (Ketupa Flavipes), Cochinchina Swift (Hirundapus Chinchinensis), Meninting Kingfisher (Alcedo Meninting), White-Browed Woodpecker (Sasia Ochracea), Eurylaimus Psittacine (Psarisomus Dalhousiae), the Hooded Wrasse (Pitta Sordida), the Flavéole Bulbul (Criniger Flaveolus), the Collared Garrulax (Garrulax Monileger) and the small Arachnothère (Arachnothera Longirostra).
Conclusion
• Bird watching in Chitawan is an essential activity in Nepal. During winter, visitors from all over the world head to Chitwan National Park to observe birds and admire them.
