Popularly known as ‘Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary’, this UNESCO World Heritage Site was earlier the duck shooting range of the Maharajas and Britishers during pre-independence India. Today Keoladeo National Park is recognised as one of the world’s most important breeding and feeding ground for both migratory & resident birds and was declared a National Park in 1982 mainly due to the effort of Dr. Salim Ali, the birdman of India. 

This green oasis is paradise for bird lovers as it is the winter ground for migratory birds from Central Asia, China and even Siberia. What has also helped is the locational advantage of Keoladeo National Park. It falls in the centre of flight path for Central Asian migratory birds and along with adequate presence of large water bodies. Cranes, Pelicans, Geese, Eagles along with many other varieties of arboreal and aquatic, both endangered and exotic birds are regular visitors to this sanctuary as a preferred habitat during winter months. Such is the importance of Keoladeo for avid birders, that during migratory season which normally lasts from November to March, multitude of visitors from both India and across the globe visits the park and the estimated numbers exceed one hundred thousand annually.
 
My knowledge of birds is negligible as most of my travels have been to forests in search of big game. In April 2022 when three friends were planning a visit to Keoladeo, I tagged along. We were lucky to have our friend Dr. Kinsuk Mitra, eminent environmental economist and ornithologist leading the group. Such is Kinsuk’s passion for birds that this would possibly be his thirtieth visit to Keoladeo. As our appetite for big game has still not been satiated, we began our trip from Ranthambore Tiger Reserve hoping for another sighting of the ‘lord’. Disappointed after three days of back breaking safaris and without a tiger in sight, we drove to Bharatpur and as per Kinsuk “from now on you will enjoy birds more than tigers” and he proved himself right. We reached Bharatpur around 4 PM and checked into Shanti Kutir, the Forest Rest House situated inside Keoladeo National Park. Though entry for visitors to the park was closed for the day, as we were staying inside, we took the liberty for a walking tour during sunset and it was a sight to behold. Countless birds flying home with the setting sun in the background looked surreal.
 
Apart from being the smallest National Park (28.73 sqaure kilometres) in India, Keoladeo is unique in many ways. Fenced on all sides by concrete boundary wall minimising the possibility of any encroachment, park authorities have also ensured sustainable and eco-friendly environment inside. Internal combustion vehicles are not allowed after a point and travel inside the birding zone is only by cycle rickshaw or battery powered buggy. Rickshaw drivers have been trained as expert guides which have also helped in ensuring regular income for local residents. 

Next day morning we were ready well before sunrise and the pinkish glow of the early morning sky was very pleasing to the eye and the chirping of birds was like music to our ears. Our two rickshaws arrived just as the first rays of the sun emerged and Raj, one of the rickshaw drivers has been my friend’s guide for years and knew what was expected of him. The other person was Pritam Singh, an aged Sardarji who was also the secretary of the rickshaw safari union and both were specialists in identifying birds. 

Our three-hour morning safari was an eye opener. These two guides showed us 32 unique species of birds on day one and another 37 on the following day. One must remember that our visit was during second week of April, the heat of north Indian summer was uncomfortable to say the least and most migratory birds had already flown back home. Therefore, sighting 69 different species of resident birds in two days was beyond imagination. What was even more gratifying was small but critical information from Kinsuk shared regarding nesting and breeding habits of these birds. He also educated us on their food habits with some being vegetarian while other having survived on non-vegetarian diet and in most cases the size and shape of a bird’s beak reveal their choice. We learnt that raptors have sharp hooked beaks used for tearing flesh while fish eating birds have long beaks compared to their body size.

Though our stay in Keoladeo was short, learning was immense. It introduced me to the wonderful world of birds about whom I knew so little and realised that it is never too late to learn. One decision was unanimous, henceforth during winter we will travel to one important birding area every year with Mishmi Hills in Arunachal planned for early 2023 to see and enjoy these fascinating God’s gift to mankind. 

Friends, winter is just few months away, do not delay as Bharatpur is just 258 kilometres from Delhi. If north India seems very far off then plan for Chilika Lake in Odisha, just 10 hours’ drive from Kolkata and another winter ground for migratory birds. Happy sighting!