Bharatpur Keoladeo National Park

Perhaps better known as Bharatpur this is one of the best and certainly one of the most popular birding sites in India. The park is largely artificial, a former hunting reserve of the Maharajas of Bharatpur, and consists of lakes and marshes surrounded by woodland, grassland and scrub.

The park was famous as the most accessible site for Siberian White Crane which formerly wintered in small numbers. Unfortunately this species can no longer be guaranteed and do not appear every winter although Sarus Crane, Common Crane and Demoiselle Crane do occur. It is possible to see nearly 200 species in a single day here and more than 400 species have been recorded in all. Large numbers of storks, herons and ibises breed and waterfowl winter in large numbers including Bar-headed Goose, Ruddy Shelduck, Marbled Duck and Ferruginous Duck. Breeding waterfowl include Comb Duck and Spotbill Duck. Other waterbirds to be seen here include Bronze-winged Jacana and Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Purple Swamphen and White-breasted Waterhen, pelicans and flamingos.

More than 25 species of raptor are possible here with Pallas's Fish Eagle, Crested Serpent Eagle and Short-toed Eagle and Steppe Eagle present all year and Eastern Imperial Eagle and both spotted eagles in winter. Other raptors include harriers, vultures and kites and several species of owl including Indian Eagle Owl and Dusky Eagle Owl, Mottled Wood Owl, Spotted Owlet and Collared Scops Owl. Among the many colourful birds to be seen are Green Pigeon and Red Turtle Dove, Ring-necked Parakeet, kingfishers, bee-eaters, rollers and barbets.

Mammals include Rhesus Macaque, Wild Boar, Nilgai and Blackbuck, Jungle Cat, Fishing Cat, Golden Jackal and Indian Smooth-coated Otter. Indian Python is among the many reptiles.

This small (under 30km2) park is situated close to the town of Bharatpur which lies 50km west of Agra. Bicycles can be hired in Bharatpur and are an ideal way to explore this park and guides can be hired. Lodge accommodation is available within and close to the park.

Birds

Birds you can see here include:

Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, White Pelican, Spot-billed Pelican, Dalmatian Pelican, Great Cormorant, Little Cormorant, Indian Shag, Asian Darter, Great Bittern, Yellow Bittern, Cinnamon Bittern, Black Bittern, Indian Pond Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Intermediate Egret, Great Egret, Grey Heron, Purple Heron, White Stork, White-necked Stork, Asian Open-bill Stork, Black-necked Stork, Painted Stork, Greater Adjutant Stork, Lesser Adjutant Stork, Black Ibis, Glossy Ibis, Eurasian Spoonbill, Greater Flamingo, Lesser Whistling Duck, Greylag Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose, Bar-headed Goose, Ruddy Shelduck, Common Shelduck, American Wigeon, Common Teal, Gadwall, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Falcated Duck, Indian Spotbill Duck, Marbled Duck, Red-crested Pochard, Common Pochard, Ferruginous Duck, Tufted Duck, Cotton Pygmy-Goose, Comb Duck, Osprey, Crested Honey-Buzzard, Black-shouldered Kite, Brahminy Kite, Black Kite, White-tailed Sea Eagle, Pallas's Fish Eagle, Marsh Harrier, Pallid Harrier, Montagu's Harrier, Hen Harrier, Pied Harrier, Indian Griffon Vulture, Asian White-backed Vulture, Indian King Vulture, Egyptian Vulture, Crested Serpent Eagle, Short-toed Eagle, White-eyed Buzzard, Northern Goshawk, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Shikra, Besra Sparrowhawk, Long-legged Buzzard, Common Buzzard, Greater Spotted Eagle, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Eastern Imperial Eagle, Golden Eagle, Bonelli's Eagle, Booted Eagle, Northern Hobby, Oriental Hobby, Common Kestrel, Laggar Falcon, Saker Falcon, Peregrine Falcon, Black Francolin, Grey Francolin, Common Quail, Black-breasted, Jungle Bush-Quail, Blue Peafowl, Common Bustard-Quail, Common Crane, Sarus Crane, Siberian White Crane, Demoiselle Crane, Water Rail, Baillon's Crake, Spotted Crake, Ruddy Crake, Common Moorhen, Brown Crake, White-breasted Waterhen, Watercock, Purple Swamphen, Eurasian Coot, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Bronze-winged Jacana, Greater Painted-Snipe, Black-winged Stilt, Pied Avocet, Stone-curlew, Indian Courser, Collared Pratincole, Small Indian Pratincole, Northern lapwing, Sociable Lapwing, Spur-winged Lapwing, Grey-headed Lapwing, Yellow-wattled Lapwing, Red-wattled Lapwing, White-tailed Lapwing, Kentish Plover, Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Lesser Sand Plover, Grey Plover, Pacific Golden Plover, Eurasian Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit, Spotted Redshank, Common Redshank, Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Terek Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstone, Pintail Snipe, Common Snipe, Jack Snipe, Red Knot, Little Stint, Temminck's Stint, Dunlin, Curlew Sandpiper, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Ruff, Red-necked Phalarope, Great Black-headed Gull, Brown-headed Gull, Gull-billed Tern, Caspian Tern, Common Tern, Black-bellied Tern, Indian River Tern, Little Tern, Whiskered Tern, Black Tern, Indian Skimmer, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Eastern Stock Dove, Yellow-legged Green Pigeon, Oriental Turtle Dove, Collared Dove, Spotted Dove, Red Turtle Dove, Laughing Dove, Ring-necked Parakeet, Sirkeer Cuckoo, Jacobin, Common Hawk-Cuckoo, Plaintive Cuckoo, Koel, Common Coucal, Eurasian Scops Owl, Collared Scops-Owl, Indian Eagle-Owl, Dusky Eagle-Owl, Brown Fish-Owl, Mottled Wood-Owl, Spotted Owlet, Brown Hawk-Owl, Short-eared Owl, Syke's Nightjar, Large-tailed, Franklin's Nightjar, Indian Nightjar, Alpine Swift, House Swift, Asian Palm-Swift, Small Green Barbet, Coppersmith, Indian Grey Hornbill, Pied Kingfisher, Common Kingfisher, White-throated Kingfisher, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Black-capped Kingfisher, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Blue-tailed Bee-eater, Little Green Bee-eater, Indian Roller, Eurasian Roller, Hoopoe, Wryneck, Brown-capped Woodpecker, Yellow-crowned Woodpecker, Black-rumped Flameback, Indian Pitta, Red-winged Bush Lark, Ashy-crowned Finch-Lark, Rufous-tailed Lark, Bimaculated Lark, Greater Short-toed Lark, Indian Sand Lark, Crested Lark, Sykes' Crested Lark, Eurasian Sky Lark, Small Sky Lark, Sand Martin, Plain Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Striated Swallow, Wire-tailed Swallow, Indian Cliff, Dusky Crag Martin, Olive-backed Pipit, Tree Pipit, Indian Tree Pipit, Water Pipit, Richard's Pipit, Paddyfield Pipit, Long-billed Pipit, Tawny Pipit, Blyth's Pipit, Forest Wagtail, Yellow Wagtail, Citrine Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, White Wagtail, Large Pied Wagtail, Common Iora, White-tailed, Black-headed Cuckoo-Shrike, Scarlet Minivet, Short-billed Minivet, Small Minivet, White-bellied Minivet, Common Woodshrike, Red-whiskered Bulbul, White-cheeked Bulbul, Red-vented Bulbul, White-browed Bulbul, Isabelline Shrike, Brown Shrike, Rufous-backed Shrike, Bay-backed Shrike, Great Grey Shrike, Siberian Rubythroat, Bluethroat, Magpie Robin, Black Redstart, Brown Rock Chat, Collared Bush Chat, Pied Bush Chat, Isabelline Wheatear, Desert Wheatear, Bnlack Wheatear, Indian Robin, Blue-headed Rock Thrush, Blue Rock Thrush, Orange-headed Ground Thrush, Tickell's, Grey-winged Blackbird, Black-throated Thrush, Cetti's Warbler, Gold-capped Cisticola, Zitting Cisticola, Lanceolated Warbler, Moustached Warbler, Thick-billed Warbler, Blunt-winged Warbler, Paddyfield Warbler, Blyth's Reed Warbler, Clamorous Reed Warbler, Sykes' Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Desert Lesser, Orphean Warbler, Rufous-fronted Prinia, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Ashy Prinia, Long-tailed Tailorbird, Common Chiffchaff, Tytler's Leaf Warbler, Tickell's Willow Warbler, Grant's Willow Warbler, Brooks' Leaf Warbler, Radde's Warbler, Sulphur-bellied, Dusky Warbler, Yellow-browed Warbler, Pallas's Leaf Warbler, Greenish Warbler, Large Crowned Leaf Warbler, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Verditer Flycatcher, White-browed Blue Flycatcher, Blue-throated Flycatcher, Tickell's Blue Flycatcher, Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, White-browed Fantail, Yellow-eyed Babbler, Common Babbler, Large Grey Babbler, Jungle Babbler, Grey Tit, Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch, Spotted Creeper, Thick-billed Flowerpecker, Tickell's Flowerpecker, Purple Sunbird, Oriental White-eye, Reed Bunting, White-capped, Black-headed Bunting, Red-headed Bunting, Crested Bunting, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, Yellow-throated Sparrow, Bengal, Streaked Mynah, Red Avadavat, White-throated Munia, White-backed Munia, Spotted Munia, Black-headed Munia, Common Rosefinch, Black Drongo, White-bellied Drongo, Golden Oriole, Black-headed Oriole, Rose-coloured Starling, Common Starling, Brahminy Mynah, Indian Pied Mynah, Common Mynah, Bank Mynah, Rufous Treepie, House Crow, Jungle Crow

Content and images originally posted by Steve