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Overview
Melghat Tiger Reserve lies in the Satpura Hill Range in Maharashtra, central India. The hills are covered with dry decidous forest, dominated by teak.
The reserve is an important site for tiger but they are hard to see here. Many forest birds can be found here but the prime target for many birders is the enigmatic Forest Owlet.
Birds
Notable Species
In total more than 270 species have been recorded in Melghat.
The prime attraction is without doubt the Forest Owlet. After its description in 1873 it has last been seen in 1884 and has long been thought to be extinct. It was rediscovered in 1997 in Central India. It is now known to be very localized and rare in the Satpura Range. Melghat is one of the few places where this species can be seen.
The rare Green Avadavat is another target for visiting birders although not easy to find. Other specialities include Sulphur-bellied Warbler and White-naped Woodpecker.
Check-list
Birds you can see here include:
Little Egret, Intermediate Egret, Indian Pond Heron, Striated Heron, Grey Junglefowl, Crested Serpent-Eagle, Black Eagle, Black-winged Kite, Shikra, White-eyed Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Indian Peafowl, Red-wattled Lapwing, Common Sandpiper, Oriental Turtle Dove, Spotted Dove, Plum-headed Parakeet, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Alexandrine Parakeet, Greater Coucal, Sirkeer Malkoha, Jungle Owlet, Forest Owlet, Crested Treeswift, Indian Roller, White-throated Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher, Common Kingfisher, Little Green Bee-eater, Indian Grey Hornbill, Coppersmith Barbet, Brown-headed Barbet, Brown-capped Woodpecker, Yellow-crowned Woodpecker, Black-rumped Flameback, White-naped Woodpecker, Plain Martin, Eurasian Crag-Martin, Red-rumped Swallow, Barn Swallow, Olive-backed Pipit, Tree Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Large Cuckoo-shrike, Small Minivet, Red-whiskered Bulbul, Red-vented Bulbul, Common Iora, Long-tailed Shrike, Eurasian Blackbird, Oriental Magpie-Robin, Black Redstart, Indian Robin, Pied Bushchat, European Stonechat, Asian Brown Flycatcher, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Tickell's Blue Flycatcher, Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher, Large Grey Babbler, Jungle Babbler, Yellow-eyed Babbler, Brown-cheeked Fulvetta, Grey-breasted Prinia, Ashy Prinia, Jungle Prinia, Siberian Chiffchaff, Tickell's Leaf-Warbler, Sulphur-bellied Warbler, Hume's Leaf-Warbler, Greenish Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Spot-breasted Fantail, White-browed Fantail, Black-naped Monarch, Asian Paradise-Flycatcher, Great Tit, Black-lored Tit, Indian Nuthatch, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, Oriental White-eye, Common Tailorbird, Purple Sunbird, Pale-billed Flowerpecker, Scaly-breasted Munia, Green Avadavat, Common Rosefinch, House Sparrow, Chestnut-shouldered Petronia, Common Woodshrike, Black Drongo, White-bellied Drongo, Eurasian Golden Oriole, Common Myna, House Crow, Jungle Crow, Rufous Treepie
Other Wildlife
Tiger occurs but is hard to see. The best chances are on jeep safaris organised by the park itself. However even on this safaris less than 1 in 10 see a tiger.
Grey Langurs (or Hanuman Langurs) are often seen along the road. Wild boar, Gaur, Sambar, Nilgai, Barking Deer, Chital and Golden Jackal are sometimes seen from the road. Four-horned Antelope, Leopard, Wild Dog, Hyena and Sloth Bear are also recorded but are hardly ever seen by visiting tourists and birders.
Site Information
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History and Use
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Areas of Interest
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Access and Facilities
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