Birds of Pench National Park–Natures gift to grace the sky

Birds are unique living beings with their ability to fly.There is no better word to describe the beauty of birds than “ majestic”. Birds are a vital connection to the wild. There are about 285 species of birds found in Pench National Park. Birds are found everywhere and provide one of the most exciting ways to connect with the natural world and experience the nature.Birds are the some of the creatures which add beauty to environment. The photographs of birds are used to depict beauty.Birds are part of this whole ecosystem we call Nature.

Importance of birds to Nature and human being:

There are many varieties of birds across the globe. We see only few them around the place of human residence.Some of the birds are reared for human use while others are indirectly helpful to humans. Birds are a part of food chain in the ecosystem and are a part of nature.As birds are high up in the food chain, they are also good indicators of the general state of our biodiversity.

Birds are not directly employed by man in agriculture. But they naturally serve some benefits. Birds also helps in cross pollination of plants. Birds are also said to be pest controller, many kind of birds assist farmers by eating weed seeds, harmful insects, or agricultural pests. Birds helps in natural seed dispersal and plant propagation.

There are resident and migratory, winter visitor and summer visitor birds in Pench. Colour is considered as the essence of life and so the birds. The spectacular vibrant colours living in the Jungles of Penchmakes the Pench safari experience more wonderful. Watching these little creatures and their habitat in the wild is a delight to every visitor. Indian Pitta is called the “Navranga” in Hindi and has nine vibrant colours and is seen in Pench. Pench is known to be bird watchers delight.

Kite and eagles are not common in Pench. Kingfisher and dove are most easily spotted in Pench Tiger Reserve. Its bright colours ensures to get notified. Bird photography in Pench can be done, as this is known to be delight for bird watchers. Pench national park is paradise for birding during winters.

List of birds found in Pench from the checklist of local guide:

Sr No Common Name1 Grey-headed Fish Eagle2 Indian Cuckoo3 Grey-bellied Cuckoo4 Asian Koel5 Indian Peafowl6 Red Spurfowl7 Painted Spurfowl8 Red Junglefowl9 Indian Scops Owl

10 Oriental Scops Owl11 Jungle Owlet

12 Spotted Owlet13 Eurasian Eagle Owl14 Indian Eagle Owl15 Paddyfield Pipit16 Tawny Pipit17 Tree Pipit18 Painted Stork19 Painted Francolin20 Black-headed Ibis21 Lesser Whistling-duck22 Indian Pond Hron23 Grey Heron24 Purple Heron25 Little Egret26 Black Stork27 Grey Francolin28 Jungle Bush Quail29 Asian Openbill30 Black-crowned Night Heron31 Tufted Duck32 Little Cormorant33 Great Egret34 Oriental Darter35 Cuttle Egret36 Osprey37 Great Cormorant38 Peregrine Falcon39 Cinnamon Bittern40 Striated Heron/Little Heron41 Intermediate Egret

42 Laggar Falcon43 Common Kestrel44 Jungle Babbler45 Black Kite46 Jacobin Cuckoo47 Common Hawk Cuckoo48 Yellow-wattled Lapwing49 Red-wattled Lapwing50 Alexandrine Parakeet51 Rose-ringed Parakeet52 Plum-headed Parakeet53 Black-winged Kite54 Indian Cormorant55 Orange-headed Thrush56 Egyption Vulture57 Oriental Honey-buzzard58 Purple Sunbird59 Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher60 Little Grebe61 Brahminy Kite62 White-breasted Waterhen63 Yellow-legged Buttonquail64 Woolly-necked Stork65 Black-necked Stork66 Indian Thick-knee67 Red-naped Ibis68 Eusasian Spoonbill69 Shikra70 Besra71 White-eyed Buzzard

72 Crested Hawk Eagle73 Common Moorhen74 White-rumped Vulture

75Indian Vulture/Long-billed Vulture

76Griffon Vulture/Eurasian Griffon

77Cinereous Vulture/Eurasian Black Vulture

78 Red-headed Vulture79 Short-tode Snake Eagle80 Crested Serpent Eagle81 Eurasian Marsh Harrier82 Pied Harrier83 Crested Goshawk84 Spotted Dove85 Laughing Dove86 Yellow-footed Green Pigeon87 Emerald Dove88 Common Snipe89 Green Sandpiper90 Wood Sandpiper91 Common Sandpiper92 Little Stint93 Indian Courser94 River Tern95 Painted Sandgrouse96 Common Pigeon97 Oriental Turtle Dove98 Eurasion Collared Dove99 Red Collared Dove

100 Ruddy Shelduck101 Cotton Pygmy-goose102 Gadwall103 Eurasian Wigeon104 Mallard105 Indian Spot-billed Duck106 Northern Pintail107 Garganey108 Common Teal109 Red-crested Pochard110 Common Pochard111 Ferruginous Pochard112 Common Buzzard113 Tawny Eagle114 Bonelli’s Eagle115 Booted Eagle116 Sirkeer Malkoha117 Southern Coucal118 Barn Owl119 Short-eared Owl120 Mottled Wood Owl121 Brown Wood Owl122 Rufous Woodpecker123 Brown Fish Owl124 Common Kingfisher125 Pied Kingfisher126 Stork-billed Kingfisher127 White-throated Kingfisher128 Indian Grey Hornbill129 Malabar Pied Hornbill

130 Jungle Nightjar131 Indian Nightjar132 Savanna Nightjar133 Grey Wagtail134 White Wagtail135 Little Swift136 Common Hoopoe137 Indian Roller138 Crested Treeswift139 White-rumped Spinetail140 Asian Palm Swift141 Green Bee-eater142 Blue-tailed Bee-eater143 Red-whiskered Bulbul144 Red-vented Bulbul145 Yellow-browed Bulbul146 Brown-headed Barbet147 Coppersmith Barbet148 Eurasian Wryneck149 Yellow Wagtail150 Citrine Wagtail151 Forest Wagtail152 Indian Pitta153 White-naped Woodpecker154 Barn Swallow155 Red-rumped Swallow156 Indian Jungle Crow157 White-bellied Minivet158 Small Minivet159 Long-tailed Minivet

160 Scarlet Minivet161 Brown Shrike162 Isabelline Shrike163 Bay-backed Shrike164 Long-tailed Shrike165 Southern Grey Shrike166 Indian Golden Oriole167 Black-hooded Oriole168 White-throated Fantail169 White-browed Fantail170 Common Tailorbird171 Asian Paradise-flycatcher172 Greater Racket-tailed Drongo173 Black Drongo174 Ashy Drongo175 White-bellied Drongo176 Common Babbler177 Large Cuckooshrike178 White-rumped Munia179 Scaly-breasted Munia180 Black-headed Munia181 House Crow182 Great Tit183 Black-lored Tit184 Fire-capped Tit185 Black-naped Monarch186 Rufous Treepie187 Baya Weaver188 Rufous-tailed Lark189 Grey-breasted Prinia

190 Jungle Prinia191 Ashy Prinia192 Rufous-fronted Prinia193 Jungle Myna194 Common Myna195 Oriental Magpie Robin196 House Sparrow

Village Machaan resort has maintained lush greenery and lovely lawns and almost more than 50 species of birds can be identified in the resort premises. We understand the importance of birds for eco system and conservation. The individual Machaan’s on top of each Glass Cottage gives opportunity to guest to see and experience the vibrant colours and the beautiful creation of nature.

You can contact us to book safari tour in Pench