Birding at Corbett
Situated in the State of
Uttrakhand in Ramnagar District, Corbett in Himalayan Foothills is a wilderness
heaven. It is a tiger reserve, and a National Park well known for its birdlife.
It was the first National Park in India notified during British rule in the
year 1936. It was the first to be declared as a tiger reserve. Earlier the park
was named Haley National Park before it was declared Corbett National Park.
The tiger reserve has an area of
529 sq. km and supports 200 tigers and more than 500 species of birds. The area
including the buffer is 1318 sq. km. The birds belong to the resident species,
Pale arctic migrants and altitude migrants which add to the numbers. When
winter in the Himalayas is extreme due to the snow the avians descend to the
foothills hence the destination is full of birds till summer.
Jim Corbett in Nainital District
of Uttrakhand along with Sat Tal and Pangot for an amazing avian corridor.
Corbett Wilderness
Corbett is home to many wild
animals including goral which belongs to the Malayan subregion. Other animals
found here are hog deer, swamp deer, wild elephant, chital, sambar, sloth bear,
Himalayan Black Bear, yellow-throated marten, langur, jackal, fox, and rhesus
macaque. Other small mammals found here are pangolins, otters, porcupines, and
civet cats.
As mentioned earlier the reserve
is rich in birdlife.
Snow-capped redstart
Blue-capped redstart
Bar-headed geese
Large Niltava
Small Niltava
Greater white-fronted goose
Paradise flycatcher
Lesser racket-tailed drongo
Greater racket-tailed drongo
Ruddy Shelduck
Red Crested Pochard
Lesser whistling teal
Great woodpecker
Himalayan Woodpecker
Rufus bellied woodpecker
Eurasian Pintail
Shoveler
Gadwall
Greater Flamingo
Great Crested Grebe
Little Pied Flycatcher
Lesser Fish Eagle
Hill Pigeon
Wood Pigeon
Yellow-legged green pigeon
Orange-bellied green pigeon
Emerald Dove
Wedge Tailed green pigeon
Great Hornbill
Malabar Pied Hornbill
Common Grey Hornbill
Shama
Black Redstart
Rufus georgette flycatcher
European White Stork
Black-necked stork
Pallas Fish Eagle
Collared Scops Owl
Tawny Owl
Brown Wood Owl
Plumbeous Water Redstart
The list is endless.
Tourism at Corbett
Tourism is organized at:
Dhikala Zone
Jhirna
Sitbani
Durga Devi Zone
Garjiya
Bijarani
Dhela
These are the best places to
visit for excursions in the park. A stay at Dhikala Complex for one night is
advised for bird watching at Dhikala Zone (Dhangadi Gate). You should book the
safari at Corbett in advance as entry is limited. Safaris can be booked online
or at the office of the field director at Ramnagar. The best time to visit is
winter and early summer. There are many luxury and budget hotels for a stay at
Ramnagar.
Distance for New Delhi
Corbett is at a distance of 255
km from New Delhi via Moradabad. The nearest Aiports are at Pantnagar and
Lucknow.
