Birdwatching is a part of wildlife tourism and it is an activity based on a special interest. This is an amateur and recreational activity for those travelers who want to get involved in special interest tourism. It is also a very serious area of scientific study and research for ornithologists who are working on the study of birds. Majorly birdwatchers use binoculars for the identification of birds.
Birdwatching was popular in Europe and America in the early 1900 AD. The first birding tour was organized in 1965 by Ornitholidays – a tour operator of Britain.
Dr. Salim Ali, the ‘Birdman of India’ was the father of Indian Ornithology and he was the first scientist who started the survey of birds across the country. Eastern Himalayas is a paradise for birdwatchers. There are many places in this region where various species of birds are available.
The available species of birds in this region are as follows:
- Lesser Yellownape
- Greater Yellownape
- Blue Throated Barbet
- Black Winged Cuckoo Shrike
- Blue Whistling Thrush
- Mountain Hawk Eagle
- Great Barbet
- Green Magpie
- Green Tailed Sunbird
- Grey Magpie
- Khaleej Pheasant
- Rufous Necked Laughing Thrush
- Streaked Laughing Thrush
- Striated Laughing Thrush
- White Crested Laughing Thrush
- Blue Winged Laughing Thrush
- Black Faced Laughing Thrush
- Asian Barred Owlet
- Serpant Eagle
- Common Kestrel
- Siberian Rubythroat
- Silver Eared Mesia
- Bay Woodpecker
- Black Faced Warbler
- Abbott’s Babbler
- Fire Breasted Flowerpecker
- Whiskered Yuhina
- Greenish Warbler
- Pied Thrush
- Red Billed Leothrix
- Rufous Sibia
- Small Niltava
- Large Niltava
- Vivid Niltava
- Rufous Bellied Niltava
- Rusty Cheeked Scimitar Babbler
- Spotted Owlet
- White Gorgetted Flycatcher
- Nepal Fulveta
- Blue Faced Malkoha
- Bar Throated Siva
- Red Tailed Minla
- Blue Winged Siva
- Rufous Bellied Redstart
- White Throated Fantail
- Crimson Sunbird
- Red Headed Trogon
- Crested Goshawk
- Barred Cuckoo Dove
- Oriental Turtle Dove
- Eurasian Collared Dove
- Hill Partridge
- Black Baza
- Thick Billed Green Pigeon
- Pin Tailed Green Pigeon
- Wedge Tailed Green Pigeon
- Common Hawk Cuckoo
- Stork Billed Kingfisher
- Common Kingfisher
- Long Tailed Minivet
- Scarlet Minivet
- Long Tailed Shrike
- Crow Billed Drongo
- Ashy Drongo
- Sprangled Drongo
- Maroon Oriole
- Green Backed Tit
- Himalayan Bulbul
- Black Bulbul
- Velvet Fronted Nuthatch
- Chestnut Bellied Nuthatch
- White Collared Blackbird
- Grey Winged Blackbird
- Plumbeous Water Redstart
- Spotted Forktail
- Little Forktail
- Common Stonechat
- Blue Rock Thrush
- Crimson Backed Sunbird
- Common Rosefinch
- Dark Breasted Rosefinch