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Northeast India Summer Birding Tour

Bugun Liocichla, Blyth's Tragopan, Temminck's Tragopan, Blood Pheasant & summer specialities

Northeast India Summer

Duration: 
Birding peaks during: April-May
Number of bird species seen during the tour: 350-400
 

Walking Difficulty: Little trail walking involved during the East Assam leg. The roadside does most birding with minimal walking. While only the Manas leg is safari-based.

Accommodation: Comfortable and basic homestays with twin-sharing rooms, with all basic private facilities.

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Options for extension/additions:

  • Mishmi, Namdapha and Dehing Patkai - for Mishmi Wren Babbler, Blyth's Kingfisher, White-winged Duck - 8 days

  • Tawang- for Satyr Tragopan -2 days

  • Meghalaya - for Tawny-breasted Wren Babbler, Crested Finchbill

  • Mizoram - for Mount Victoria Babax, Chin-hills Wren Babbler

Expert birdwatcher guided tour • Itinerary optimised to maximise the species count • Small group sizes, more personalized birding

Destinations/Hotspots covered:
​Manas NP • Eaglenest Bompu• Eaglenest Lama • Sela Pass • Mandala 

Temmink_s Tragopan_SON00003.JPG

Temminck's Tragopan, Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh

Tour Overview:

Northeast India is one of Asia's greatest frontiers for birdwatching, where the Eastern Himalayas, Indo-Burma, and the Indian Subcontinent converge to create one of the richest avian landscapes on Earth. This winter birding expedition traverses the biodiversity hotspots of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, covering the lowland rainforests of Dehing Patkai and Namdapha National Park, the Himalayan foothill rainforests of Mishmi Hills and Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary, the high-altitude rocky peaks of Sela Pass, the floodplain wetlands of Maguri Beel, and the alluvial grasslands and riverine forests of Manas National Park. Together, these habitats support an extraordinary diversity of birds, including numerous range-restricted species, elusive forest specialists, and some of the most sought-after birds in the world
 

Our journey begins in the iconic grasslands of Manas National Park, where the Himalayan foothills meet the Brahmaputra floodplains. Home to specialities such as Bengal Florican, Indian Grassbird, Slender-billed Babbler, Finn's Weaver, Grey-lored Broadbill and several hornbill species, Manas offers one of India's finest introductions to Northeast birding.
 

As we continue with our journey northwards, we enter the cloud forests of Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary, the only place on earth to see the critically endangered Bugun Liocichla. Eaglenest also offers the chance to see 2 out of the 4 tragopan species of India: Blyth's Tragopan and Temminck's Tragopan. As we travel further north, we will enter the high-altitude habitats of Sela Pass and Mandala, where we will look for highly sought species like Blood Pheasant, Snow Partridge, Grandala, Solitary Snipe,  and many other finches and warblers of the highlands.
 

Summer is the best season to explore Northeast India, when resident Himalayan specialties are highly active throughout the day, singing, foraging, and displaying. With the potential to record well over 300 species, this expedition is designed for dedicated birdwatchers and world listers seeking one of Asia's most rewarding birding experiences.

Itinerary:

Day 0-Arrival at Guwahati International Airport:

Arrival and overnight at a hotel in Guwahati.

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Day 1: Introductory Birding in Guwahati Outskirts.

Today will be spent on introductory birding at Garbhanga Reserve Forest for some early and easy forest species and also visiting landfills with high chances of the majestic and endangered Greater Adjutant.
 

Day 2 & Day 3: Birding in Manas National Park

We pick up all the tour participants early in the morning and drive towards the safari zones of Manas National Park, one of India's finest birding destinations and a UNESCO World Heritage Site situated at the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas.

After checking into our comfortable lodge bordering the park, we head out for our first afternoon safari through the extensive alluvial grasslands and riverine forests.

Our initial targets include Bengal Florican, Finn's Weaver, Indian Grassbird, Slender-billed Babbler, Grey-lored Broadbill, along with Great Hornbills and a variety of grassland and woodland specialists.

The birding here will be done from the comfort of our safari vehicles. These safaris also yield rare mammal species like the One-horned Rhinoceros, Capped Langur, Golden Langur and Swamp Deer.

Overnight at a resort near Manas National Park.

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Day 4 & Day 5: Birding in Sela Pass and Mandala

We pick up all the tour participants early in the morning before sunrise and drive towards our next birding hotspot: Sela Pass, one of India's most untouched landscapes teeming with bird life during the summers

Target species in Sela Pass and Mandala include Blood Pheasant, Gould's Shortwing, Snow Partridge, Grandala, Solitary Snipe and a variety of high altitude specialists.

Overnight at Dirang.


Day 6,7,8: Birding at Lama Camp in Eaglenest

We move towards lower elevations on the morning of Day 6 to reach the upper limit of Eaglenest WLS. This wildlife sanctuary is highly regarded for its birding potential, as the Eaglenest transect is home to over 400 bird species and is the only stronghold for the critically endangered Bugun Liocichla- our main target in Lama Camp along with Temminck's Tragopan and other cloud forest passerines.
Overnight at Lama Camp
Late evening transfer to Bompu Camp on Day 8

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Day 9, 10, 11: Birding at Bompu Camp in Eaglenest

Bompu Camp offers a more unique array of mid-elevation birds of Northeast India. Main targets here include Blyth's Tragopan, Chestnut-breasted Partridge, Green Cochoa, Sikkim Wedge-billed Babbler, Bhutan Laughingthrush, Slaty-bellied Tesia, among many other Northeast specialities.
Overnight at Bompu Camp

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Day 12: Transfer to Guwahati for departures

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END OF TOUR

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Region-wise bird targets:

Manas National Park
(Riverine forest & Grassland)

  • Swamp Francolin

  • ​Ruddy Shelduck

  • Kalij Pheasant

  • Red Junglefowl

  • Ashy-headed Green Pigeon

  • Yellow-footed Green Pigeon

  • Pin-tailed Green Pigeon

  • Green Imperial Pigeon

  • Bengal Florican

  • Lesser Coucal

  • Green-billed Malkoha

  • Crested Treeswift

  • Brown Crake

  • River Lapwing

  • Gray-headed Lapwing

  • Black Stork

  • Lesser Adjutant

  • Crested Serpent Eagle

  • Changeable Hawk Eagle

  • Crested Goshawk

  • Grey-headed Fish Eagle

  • Hen Harrier

  • Pied Harrier

  • Asian Barred Owlet

  • Spotted Owlet

  • Great Hornbill

  • Oriental Pied Hornbill

  • Blue-bearded Bee-eater

  • Stork-billed Kingfisher

  • Indochinese Roller

  • Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker

  • Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker

  • Greater Flameback

  • Rufous Woodpecker

  • Streak-throated Woodpecker

  • Grey-headed Woodpecker

  • Western Hooded Pitta

  • Collared Falconet

  • Long-tailed Broadbill

  • Grey-lored Broadbill

  • Oriental Cuckooshrike

  • Black-winged Cuckooshrike

  • Black-hooded Oriole

  • Maroon Oriole

  • Ashy Woodswallow

  • Large Woodshrike

  • White-throated Fantail

  • Grey-backed Shrike

  • Brown Shrike

  • Rufous Treepie

  • Scarlet Minivet

  • Rosy Minivet

  • Bronzed Drongo

  • Hair-crested Drongo

  • Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher

  • Sultan Tit

  • Bengal Bushlark

  • Zitting Cisticola

  • Golden-headed Cisticola

  • Striated Grassbird

  • White-throated Bulbul

  • Black-crested Bulbul

  • Yellow-eyed Babbler

  • Black-breasted Parrotbill

  • Jerdon's Babbler

  • Indian White-eye

  • Chestnut-capped Babbler

  • Indian Grassbird

  • Puff-throated Babbler

  • Abbott's Babbler

  • Slender-billed Babbler

  • Striated Babbler

  • Rufous-necked Laughingthrush

  • Velvet-fronted Nuthatch

  • Great Myna

  • White-rumped Shama

  • Pale-chinned Flycatcher

  • Gray Bushchat

  • Plain Flowerpecker

  • Ruby-cheeked Sunbird

  • Crimson Sunbird

  • Streaked Spiderhunter

  • Little Spiderhunter

  • Baya Weaver

  • Scaly-breasted Munia

  • Crested Bunting

  • Little Bunting

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Eaglenest WLS & Mandala

  • Hill Partridge

  • Chestnut-breasted Partridge

  • Blyth's Tragopan

  • Temminck's Tragopan

  • Barred Cuckoo-Dove

  • Asian Emerald Cuckoo

  • Plaintive Cuckoo

  • Large Hawk Cuckoo

  • Hodgson's Hawk Cuckoo

  • Indian Cuckoo

  • Himalayan Cuckoo

  • Himalayan Swiftlet

  • Blyth's Swift

  • Mountain Hawk-Eagle

  • Himalayan Buzzard

  • Mountain Scops Owl

  • Collared Owlet

  • Ward's Trogon

  • Wreathed Hornbill

  • Rufous-necked Hornbill

  • Crested Kingfisher

  • Golden-throated Barbet

  • Yellow-rumped Honeyguide

  • Darjeeling Woodpecker

  • Crimson-naped Woodpecker

  • Bay Woodpecker

  • Pale-headed Woodpecker

  • Blue-naped Pitta

  • Grey-chinned Minivet

  • Long-tailed Minivet

  • Black-headed Shrike Babbler

  • White-browed Shrike-Babbler

  • Green Shrike-Babbler

  • Black-eared Shrike-Babbler

  • Slender-billed Oriole

  • Yellow-billed Blue Magpie

  • Yellow-bellied Fairy Fantail

  • Yellow-cheeked Tit

  • Brown Bush Warbler

  • Russet Bush Warbler

  • Black-throated Prinia

  • Scaly-breasted Cupwing

  • Pygmy Cupwing

  • Nepal House Martin

  • Asian House Martinb

  • Striated Bulbul

  • Mountain Bulbul

  • Ashy-throated Warbler

  • Buff-barred Warbler

  • Lemon-rumped Warbler

  • Buff-throated Warbler

  • Green-crowned Warbler

  • Whistler's Warbler

  • Large-billed Leaf Warbler

  • Chestnut-crowned Warbler

  • Yellow-vented Warbler

  • Grey-hooded Warbler

  • Slaty-bellied Tesia

  • Gray-bellied Tesia

  • Chestnut-headed Tesia

  • Grey-sided Bush Warbler

  • Mountain Tailorbird

  • Broad-billed Warbler

  • Brownish Flanked Bush Warbler

  • Hume's Bush Warbler

  • Black-throated Tit

  • Fire-tailed Myzornis

  • Golden-breasted Fulvetta

  • Brown Parrotbill

  • Black-breasted Parrotbill

  • White-breasted Parrotbill

  • Black-throated Parrotbill

  • Striated Yuhina

  • Black-chinned Yuhina

  • Whiskered Yuhina

  • White-naped Yuhina

  • Stripe-throated Yuhina

  • Rufous-vented Yuhina

  • Golden Babbler

  • Rufous-capped Babbler​

  • Rufous-throated Wren Babbler

  • Black-crowned Scimitar Babbler

  • Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler

  • Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler

  • Large Scimitar Babbler

  • Sikkim Wedge-billed Babbler

  • Yellow-throated Fulvetta

  • Long-billed Wren Babbler

  • Striated Laughingthrush

  • Himalayan Cutia

  • Scaly Laughingthrush

  • ​Blue-winged Laughingthrush

  • Black-faced Laughingthrush

  • Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush

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  • Bhutan Laughingthrush

  • Long-tailed Sibia

  • Beautiful Sibia

  • Hoary-throated Barwing

  • Streak-throated Barwing

  • Blue-winged Minla 

  • Chestnut-tailed Minla

  • Red-tailed Minla

  • Silver-eared Mesia

  • Rusty-fronted Barwing

  • Rufous-backed Sibia

  • Bugun Liocichla

  • Red-faced Liocichla

  • Spotted Laughingthrush

  • ​Grey-sided Laughingthrush

  • Beautiful Nuthatch

  • White-tailed Nuthatch

  • Rusty-flanked Treecreeper

  • Sikkim Treecreeper

  • Spotted Elachura

  • Purple Cochoa

  • Green Cochoa

  • White-collared Blackbird

  • Dark-sided Flycatcher

  • Ferruginous

  • Large Niltava

  • Small Niltava

  • Rufous-bellied Niltava

  • Verditer Flycatcher

  • White-gorgeted Flycatcher

  • Pale Blue Flycatcher

  • Blue-throated Flycatcher

  • Large Blue Flycatcher

  • Himalayan Shortwing

  • Indian Blue Robin

  • White-bellied Redstart

  • Spotted Forktail

  • White-tailed Robin

  • Blue-fronted Robin

  • Himalayan Bluetail

  • Rufous-breasted Bush Robin

  • White-browed Bush Robin

  • Golden Bush Robin

  • Slaty-blue Flycatcher

  • Pygmy Flycatcher

  • Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher

  • Sapphire Flycatcher

  • Little Pied Flycatcher

  • Ultramarine Flycatcher

  • Blue-fronted Redstart

  • Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush

  • Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush

  • Fire-breasted Flowerpecker

  • Black-throated Sunbird

  • Green-tailed Sunbird

  • Fire-tailed Sunbird

  • Mrs Gould's Sunbird

  • Scarlet Finch

  • Spot-winged Grosbeak

  • White-winged Grosbeak

  • Collared Grosbeak

  • Brown Bullfinch

  • Red-headed Bullfinch

  • Gray-headed Bullfinch

  • Gold-naped Finch

  • Dark-breasted Rosefinch

  • Yellow-breasted Greenfinch

  • Little Bunting

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Sela Pass

  • Snow Partridge

  • Blood Pheasant

  • Himalayan Monal

  • Snow Pigeon

  • Solitary Snipe

  • Bearded Vulture

  • Himalayan Griffon

  • Red-billed Chough

  • Yellow-billed Chough

  • Southern Nutcracker

  • Coal Tit

  • Rufous-vented Tit 

  • Grey-crested Tit

  • Eurasian Wren

  • White-throated Dipper

  • Grandala

  • White-browed Tit-Warbler

  • Tibetan Blackbird

  • Golden Bush Robin

  • Gould's Shortwing

  • Alpine Accentor

  • Rufous-breasted Accentor

  • Himalayan Beautiful Rosefinch

  • Himalayan White-browed Rosefinch

  • Rosy Pipit

  • Plain Mountain Finch

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