Back

 

BHUTAN 2003

 

“Monals at Dawn or Pheasants in Profusion

 

‘Stop, stop! On the road’ exclaimed a client.  Our vehicle jerked to a halt and there, wandering off the right side of the road no more than 20 feet in front, was a fantastic multicoloured male Himalayan Monal.  What a beast!  Like an oversized fluorescent Turkey it had us transfixed.  We bailed out quietly and peered down slope in the direction he’d gone.  Nothing - he’d clearly had enough and so we wandered back up the road searching for a different vantage point.  Now it was someone else’s turn to spot something on the road…an enchanting pair of Blood Pheasants.  No more than 40 feet away they were also aware of our presence.  He wanted to leave but his mate was in no hurry and they ended up crossing the highway before eventually scurrying off up slope...  A Satyr Tragopan started to call behind us.  We’d heard perhaps a dozen or so by now and had tried to no avail to tape lure a number of these magical creatures in to view.  Nonetheless Paul checked this one out and, lo and behold, there it was!  An apparition in the shape of a fantastic male perched in plain view on the top of a metre high broken stump!  Birds shouldn’t be this big and this colour, and if they are shouldn’t they stay hidden?  All three encounters had taken place within the space of five minutes, yes five minutes!  What’s more, excellent though our views had been, we would later improve on them with all three species!  This is birding in Bhutan. 

 

Paul’s in no doubt that this tiny kingdom hosts what’s arguably the best birding on the planet, and after a morning like we’d just had, who could argue?  Shortly after our Thrumsing La morning, a morning we relived umpteen times on the tour and will no-doubt continue to relive umpteen times more, Heather came up with the monikers Monals at Dawn & Pheasants in Profusion.  Perfect!

 

As on nearly every tour groups invariably discuss how we’re doing compared to previous trips and how we’re shaping up to their expectations.  I’ve lost count now of how many times I’ve said that the Bhutan tours just can’t get better…and yet they do.  Year after year they just keep getting better.  Where will it end?  Last year we found two new birds for Bhutan - this year we didn’t find any but just look at the list of specialities that we did stumble into:

 

Blood Pheasant, Satyr Tragopan, Himalayan Monal, Kalij Pheasant, Yellow-rumped Honeyguide, Rufous-necked Hornbill, Ward's Trogon, Hodgson's Hawk Cuckoo, White-throated Needletail, Mountain Scops Owl, Pin-tiled Green Pigeon, Black-tailed Crake, Solitary Snipe, Ibisbill, Pallas’s Fish Eagle, Lammergeier, Collared Treepie, White-gorgeted Flycatcher, Rufous-breasted Bush Robin, Blue-fronted Robin, Beautiful Nuthatch, 7 species of wren babbler including Long-billed, Rufous-throated, Bar-winged, Spotted and Wedge-billed, Cutia, Black-headed Shrike Babbler, Golden-breasted Fulvetta, Yellow-throated and Rufous-winged Fulvettas, White-naped Yuhina, Great, Brown, Black-throated and Greater Rufous-headed Parrotbill, Tibetan Siskin, Blanford’s Rosefinch, Dark-rumped Rosefinch, Crimson-browed and Scarlet Finches and Gold-naped Finch.

 

Awesome, really awesome! 

 

The tour started well with gorgeous weather and a spectacular flight from Delhi right along the Himalayan chain and in to Bhutan.  Ibisbill soon found its way on to our rapidly maturing Bhutanese lists – additional birds were even visible from the front of our hotel in Thimpu!  It was to get significantly better the following day on the Dochu La.  Several stunning encounters with Fire-tailed Myzornis and our first tragopan experience were the pre-breakfast highlights.  The latter an encounter with a calling male that responded modestly to the tape, started to head towards us and started to call again but eventually lost interest and just never came quite close enough.  After investing almost an hour on this bird we were subsequently treated to an excellent close range encounter with a female at the top of the pack-horse trail without even trying!  Highlight of the day however was a fabulous encounter with a pair of Ward’s Trogon on the eastern side of pass.  They took a while to respond to the tape, but once with us they were reluctant to leave and showed us their fronts, their sides, their backs and even called for us.  Fantastic.

 

We spent day two in the Mo Chhu valley.  No major rarities here though we did get good looks at both Lesser Shortwing and Spotted Wren Babbler…and of course there were the spectacular views of Punakha dzong, one of Bhutan’s finest, on the drive back to our guest house.  The following day saw us climbing past Wangdi to a gorgeous breakfast stop.  Here, at a site overlooking the Dang Chhu valley about 15kms below Nobding, we were treated to a moderate raptor passage – two Steppe and a few Mountain Hawk, plus a fine Rufous-bellied Hawk Eagle.  On from there we found parties of Tibetan Siskin and Yellow-breasted Greenfinch before stumbling in to a new site for Yellow-rumped Honeyguide!  It rained hard at lunch.  No that’s wrong.  It rained very hard at lunch but we’d no sooner finished than the rain stopped and the sun came back out.  Moments later we were treated to exquisite looks at what over the years has become on of Bhutan’s most difficult specialities - an enchanting Bar-winged Wren Babbler.  Major renovations to Gangtey Gompa meant that access to our neighbouring guesthouse was through an active timber yard - probably a first for a Sunbird tour!  We had a good night here however, not too cold and mercifully there were very few barking dogs. 

 

The following morning saw us crossing the second of our major road passes, the Pele La, and entering central Bhutan.  We duly found a spectacular Lammergeier only the second one that we’ve encountered on all the Sunbird Bhutan trips.  Moments later we found another!  An inquisitive pair of Brown were the first of our first of four species of parrotbill on the tour but they were soon over shadowed by a superb Black-tailed Crake.

 

Another sit-down meal (we’d already given instructions to our crew to cut down on the volume) before we headed on past the Nepalese style chorten at Chenebji.  Continuing on past Banglapokto with its teasing Broad-billed Warbler to Trongsa where Sundo, our enchanting hostess, ensured that we wouldn’t stay in downtown Trongsa ever again.

 

Day seven, yes we were already one week in to the tour, saw us heading south down the Shemgang road.  Stopping for pre-breakfast appointments with several White-tailed and a fine male Indian Blue Robin, another honeyguide and a pair of Little Forktails didn’t delay us too long, and we reached a pre-ordained spot just short of Shemgang for lunch.  A 15 minute walk, that’s what we’d have.  A 15 minute walk before lunch.  We probably didn’t walk more than 600 metres but I’ll bet we were gone for well over an hour - so long that Kandu and Caka had eaten their lunch and were on their way to come and look for us!  We’d stopped here to search for Beautiful Nuthatch, and that’s exactly what we saw.  Three of them no less, and one who’s performance exceeded our wildest dreams.  It stayed with us for about 15 minutes and at times was down to about 10 metres range!  We knew then what the end of the tour’s Bird of the Trip would be! 

 

On from there to our camp site, not the one we expected to be staying at since that was occupied by the BirdQuest group, but an alternative.  Initially a little deflated at not being able to stay where we’d planned, things actually worked to our benefit.  Hill Prinias, Oriental Cuckoos, Bay Woodpeckers and Rufous-necked Hornbills all performed within walking distance of our tents while a Mountain Scops Owl was lured in to view on the very first night.  We’d planned to spend three nights camping here but did so well on the first two days (with more views of a different pair of nest building Beautiful Nuthatches plus diminutive Rufous-faced Warblers and spectacular Great Hornbills to mention but a few) meant that we altered our itinerary and headed back to Trongsa a day early.  Our intention was to spend an extra day, the one we gained by cleaning up quickly, on the upper Limithang road.  (Things worked out so well that Paul has now re-jigged the tour itinerary for the Sunbird 2004 Bhutan trip). 

 

The next day, the day we travelled east from Trongsa over the Yotong La to Jakar was relatively quiet, perhaps the quietest of the entire tour but the day after that, Wednesday the 23rd, was phenomenal.  This was our Monals at Dawn day.  Not that things end there.  A pair of Great Parrotbills followed on soon after the pheasant performance while a male Rufous-breasted Bush Robin showed, albeit briefly, on the eastern side of the mighty Thrumsing La.  Further down a pair of Dark-rumped and then no less than four Blanford’s Rosefinches also obliged.  But the day belonged to the pheasants – the magnificent monal, the tragopan and the encounters with no less than 17 Blood Pheasants (12 seen and at least five others heard)!

 

Camping at Sengor worked like a treat and a tragopan was even heard from the dining tent.  But it was to get better…The following morning saw us back tracking – a solitary Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler almost came close enough to touch and then there was another tragopan.  Admirably spotted from the moving vehicle it remained in view for perhaps 10 minutes, quite unconcerned about our presence.  This then was the Limithang road.  First class or what? 

 

Heading lower we drove through Sengor before stopping for lunch just past the awesome Namling waterfall and cliffs.  A fly-by party of Speckled Woodpigeons left a lot to be desired as did our first encounter with a Long-billed Wren Babbler.  The latter, along with Rusty-bellied Shortwing one of the two major prizes on last year’s Sunbird Bhutan tour.  This year’s first bird showed quite well but not until it had made sure that the sun had almost set and it was dark!

 

And so we headed to our third camp, at site that became affectionately known as the Yongkola cow muck camp, or something like that!  One again our crew had excelled themselves.  The large walk-in tents each with their camp beds, blankets and sheets, our mess tent, shower and latrine tents were all ready and waiting as were copious supplies of hot water for showering! 

 

We had two more full days on the lower Limithang road and the weather stayed kind.  It did rain, but only when it didn’t affect our birding very much.  We spent time searching out the area’s specialities and once again luck was on our side.  Highlights of our first day included stupendous views of a pair of very responsive Wedge-billed Wren Babblers.  These were soon followed by a fine Rufous-throated and then another Long-billed Wren Babbler.  The latter really was something.  It came right in, sat still, turned slowly, sang, called and then left…only to repeat the performance seconds later. 

 

Saturday the 26th produced encounters with a typically obliging party of 15 or so Greater Rufous-headed Parrotbills and 10 Rusty-fronted Barwings, plus two Red-faced Liocichlas.  And these were all before breakfast.  After our meal we tallied no less than four Blue-fronted Robins.  Normally one of the most skulking passerines on the planet this year was different and two birds were actually seen, one of them amazingly well.

 

Eventually it was time to leave the Limithang road.  Were we happy?  We certainly were happy, not to be leaving but content in the knowledge that we’d done well, done really well.  We’d still five more days of the tour remaining and we filled them with memorable encounters with the likes of Scarlet Finch, Broad-billed Warbler and a superb Black-headed Shrike Babbler.  Heading back west we spent time at new sites and time at old favourites.  We saw another cooperative monal on the Pele La and for a moment we were distracted from it, not by another, but this time by an injured Blyth’s Pipit. 

 

The list of birds is almost endless but there really was far more to our Bhutan trip than just a record breaking bird list.  But there’s much, much more to this tour than just the birds. Rather it’s the whole ‘Bhutanese experience’ that makes these trips so fantastically enjoyable.  It’s the first class service provided by our ground agents, the excellent food and the sit-down meals in the field, the comfortable campsites and their eagerness to please.  They did, and always have done, an excellent job.

 

And then there’s Bhutan itself, a fantastic place - one that justifiably lays claim to the ‘Shangri La’ title.  The introduction to the excellent Lonely Planet guide to Bhutan starts with ‘Bhutan is not an ordinary place.’  It certainly isn’t and the Bhutanese government is eager to keep it that way.  It’s a fascinating place where many of the men still wear their traditional national dress, where smartly dressed Buddhist monks are commonplace and where almost everyone wears a smile.  Bhutan is rich in surprises, not only ornithological ones.  There’s the rich and varied scenery, the towering mountain peaks so well displayed on the flight into Paro, the country’s only airport, and the narrow mountain gorges.  There are the lush, and often impenetrable low, mid and high altitude forests, the extensive stands of bamboo and the gorgeous blossoming rhododendrons and magnolias.  So often compared to Switzerland there are obvious similarities, but just as many unique features.  There are the fantastic dzongs, or fortress-monasteries, that are scattered around the country, the myriad chortens and multicoloured, fluttering prayer flags, the traditional houses with their drying lofts and wooden shingle roofs.  It’s impossible to soak it all up - try as we did…”  Paul Holt.

 

Bird List:

 

The order, English and scientific names follow those used in Inskipp T., Lindsey, N. & Duckworth, W.  An Annotated Checklist of the Birds of the Oriental Region.  Oriental Bird Club.  1996.

 

As on all Sunbird tours species are only included on this list if they were seen, or heard, by the leader and at least one participant.

 

Key to the status codes:

 

Column 1   =  total number of days that the species was recorded

Column 2   =  maximum daily count for that particular species

H                 =  denotes a species that was heard but was not seen

(H)              =  denotes a species that was heard more often than it was seen

I                  =  a species that was only recorded in India

 

 

Black Francolin  

1

1

 

I

Francolinus francolinus

Hill Partridge  

10

2

H

 

Arborophila torqueola

Rufous-throated Partridge  

6

6

H

 

Arborophila rufogularis

Chestnut-breasted Partridge  

1

1

H

 

Arborophila mandellii

Blood Pheasant  

2

17

 

 

Ithaginis cruentus

Satyr Tragopan  

7

5

(H)

 

Tragopan satyra

Himalayan Monal  

2

3

 

 

Lophophorus impejanus

Red Junglefowl

1

1

 

 

Gallus gallus

Kalij Pheasant  

2

2

 

 

Lophura leucomelanos

Grey Peacock Pheasant

1

2

H

 

Polyplectron bicalcaratum

Bar-headed Goose

1

2

 

 

Anser indicus

Ruddy Shelduck  

3

2

 

 

Tadorna ferruginea

Gadwall

2

2

 

 

Anas strepera

Eurasian Wigeon  

4

20

 

 

Anas penelope

Spot-billed Duck

1

20

 

I

Anas p. poecilorhyncha

Northern Shoveler  

2

8

 

 

Anas clypeata

Northern Pintail

2

2

 

 

Anas acuta

Garganey

1

10

 

 

Anas querquedula

Common Pochard

1

6

 

I

Aythya ferina

Tufted Duck

3

10

 

 

Aythya fuligula

Common Merganser  

1

2

 

 

Mergus merganser

Yellow-rumped Honeyguide  

2

1

 

 

Indicator xanthonotus

Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker

1

3

 

 

Dendrocopos canicapillus

Rufous-bellied Woodpecker  

2

4

 

 

Dendrocopos hyperythrus

Crimson-breasted Woodpecker  

5

2

 

 

Dendrocopos cathpharius

Darjeeling Woodpecker

3

2

 

 

Dendrocopos darjellensis

Rufous Woodpecker

1

1

 

 

Celeus brachyurus

Lesser Yellownape  

3

1

 

 

Picus chlorolophus

Bay Woodpecker  

9

3

(H)

 

Blythipicus pyrrhotis

Great Barbet  

13

20

(H)

 

Megalaima virens

Golden-throated Barbet  

9

10

(H)

 

Megalaima franklinii

Blue-throated Barbet  

2

6

(H)

 

Megalaima asiatica

Great Hornbill

1

2

 

 

Buceros bicornis

Rufous-necked Hornbill  

5

8

 

 

Aceros nipalensis

Common Hoopoe  

5

2

 

 

Upupa epops

Ward's Trogon  

1

2

 

 

Harpactes wardi

Common Kingfisher  

2

2

 

 

Alcedo atthis

White-throated Kingfisher  

2

2

 

 

Halcyon smyrnensis

Crested Kingfisher  

2

2

 

 

Megaceryle lugubris

Blue-bearded Bee-eater  

1

1

 

 

Nyctyornis athertoni

Green Bee-eater

1

10

 

I

Merops orientalis

Large Hawk Cuckoo  

14

8

(H)

 

Cuculus sparverioides

Hodgson's Hawk Cuckoo  

6

6

(H)

 

Hierococcyx fugax

Indian Cuckoo  

6

2

H

 

Cuculus micropterus

Common Cuckoo  

8

2

H

 

Cuculus canorus

Oriental Cuckoo  

14

7

(H)

 

Cuculus saturatus

Banded Bay Cuckoo

1

1

 

 

Cacomantis sonneratii

Asian Emerald Cuckoo  

3

4

(H)

 

Chrysococcyx maculatus

Drongo Cuckoo  

3

3

H

 

Surniculus lugubris

Asian Koel  

1

4

(H)

I

Eudynamys scolopacea

Greater Coucal  

1

3

H

I

Centropus sinensis

Rose-ringed Parakeet  

1

10

 

I

Psittacula krameri

Himalayan Swiftlet  

6

50

 

 

Collocalia brevirostris

White-throated Needletail  

2

22

 

 

Hirundapus caudacutus

Asian Palm Swift  

1

4

 

 

Cypsiurus balasiensis

Fork-tailed Swift  

9

60

 

 

Apus pacificus

Mountain Scops Owl  

7

3

(H)

 

Otus spilocephalus

Collared Scops Owl  

6

1

H

 

Otus bakkamoena

Collared Owlet  

9

5

(H)

 

Glaucidium brodiei

Asian Barred Owlet  

4

3

H

 

Glaucidium cuculoides

Grey Nightjar  

5

1

(H)

 

Caprimulgus indicus

Rock Pigeon  

14

100

 

 

Columba livia

Speckled Wood Pigeon  

2

10

 

 

Columba hodgsonii

Oriental Turtle Dove   

15

30

 

 

Streptopelia orientalis

Laughing Dove

1

6

 

I

Streptopelia senegalensis

Spotted Dove  

3

3

 

 

Streptopelia chinensis

Eurasian Collared Dove  

1

20

 

I

Streptopelia decaocto

Barred Cuckoo Dove  

5

2

 

 

Macropygia unchall

Yellow-footed Green Pigeon

1

3

 

I

Treron phoenicoptera

Pin-tailed Green Pigeon

1

7

 

 

Treron apicauda

Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon

1

1

H

 

Treron sphenura

Mountain Imperial Pigeon

2

1

 

 

Ducula badia

Black-tailed Crake

1

1

 

 

Porzana bicolor

Purple Swamphen

1

10

 

I

Porphyrio porphyrio

Common Moorhen

1

1

 

I

Gallinula chloropus

Eurasian Coot  

1

8

 

I

Fulica atra

Solitary Snipe  

2

2

 

 

Gallinago solitaria

Wood Sandpiper  

1

20

 

 

Tringa glareola

Common Sandpiper  

4

6

 

 

Actitis hypoleucos

Little Stint

1

300

 

I

Calidris minuta

Temminck’s Stint

1

4

 

I

Calidris temminckii

Curlew Sandpiper

1

2

 

I

Calidris ferruginea

Ruff

1

20

 

I

Philomachus pugnax

Ibisbill  

3

6

 

 

Ibidorhyncha struthersii

Black-winged Stilt

1

30

 

I

Himantopus himantopus

Pied Avocet

1

29

 

I

Recurvirostra avosetta

Little Ringed Plover  

2

1

 

 

Charadrius dubius

River Lapwing  

3

30

 

 

Vanellus duvaucelii

Red-wattled Lapwing  

1

20

 

 

Vanellus indicus

Small Pratincole

1

1

 

 

Glareola lactea

Brown-headed Gull

1

4

 

I

Larus brunnicephalus

Whiskered Tern

1

80

 

I

Chlidonias hybridus

Oriental Honey Buzzard  

1

1

 

I

Pernis ptilorhynchus

Black Kite   

2

100

 

 

Milvus migrans

Pallas’s Fish Eagle  

2

1

 

 

Haliaeetus leucoryphus

Lammergeier

1

2

 

 

Gypaetus barbatus

Himalayan Griffon  

3

15

 

 

Gyps himalayensis

Crested Serpent Eagle  

3

2

 

 

Spilornis cheela

Besra

1

1

 

 

Accipiter virgatus

Eurasian Sparrowhawk  

1

1

 

 

Accipiter nisus

Common Buzzard  

1

1

 

 

Buteo buteo

Black Eagle  

4

2

 

 

Ictinaetus malayensis

Steppe Eagle 

1

2

 

 

Aquila nipalensis

Rufous-bellied Eagle  

1

1

 

 

Hieraaetus kienerii

Mountain Hawk Eagle  

9

4

 

 

Spizaetus nipalensis

Common Kestrel   

7

2

 

 

Falco tinnunculus

Little Grebe

1

2

 

I

Tachybaptus ruficollis

Little Cormorant  

1

4

 

I

Phalacrocorax niger

Indian Cormorant

1

6

 

I

Phalacrocorax fuscicollis

Great Cormorant  

3

1

 

 

Phalacrocorax carbo

Little Egret  

1

2

 

I

Egretta garzetta

Great Egret  

1

4

 

I

Casmerodius albus

Grey Heron

1

5

 

I

Ardea cinerea

Purple Heron

1

2

 

I

Ardea purpurea

Cattle Egret  

1

6

 

I

Bubulcus ibis

Indian Pond Heron  

1

10

 

I

Ardeola grayii

Greater Flamingo

1

300

 

I

Phoenicopterus ruber

Painted Stork

1

6

 

I

Mycteria leucocephala

Long-tailed Broadbill  

3

3

(H)

 

Psarisomus dalhousiae

Orange-bellied Leafbird  

6

4

 

 

Chloropsis hardwickii

Long-tailed Shrike  

3

2

 

 

Lanius schach tricolor

                   

1

1

 

 

                     schach

Grey-backed Shrike  

9

10

 

 

Lanius tephronotus

Eurasian Jay

2

1

 

 

Garrulus glandarius

Yellow-billed Blue Magpie  

9

10

 

 

Urocissa flavirostris

Grey Treepie  

8

10

 

 

Dendrocitta formosae

Collared Treepie

1

1

 

 

Dendrocitta frontalis

Black-billed Magpie  

3

6

 

 

Pica pica

Spotted Nutcracker  

9

12

 

 

Nucifraga caryocatactes

Red-billed Chough  

7

100

 

 

Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax

House Crow  

1

100

 

I

Corvus splendens

Large-billed Crow  

16

50

 

 

Corvus macrorhynchos

Maroon Oriole  

8

10

 

 

Oriolus traillii

Black-winged Cuckooshrike  

10

6

(H)

 

Coracina melaschistos

Grey-chinned Minivet  

10

15

 

 

Pericrocotus solaris

Long-tailed Minivet  

10

14

 

 

Pericrocotus ethologus

Short-billed Minivet  

10

10

 

 

Pericrocotus brevirostris

Scarlet Minivet  

3

15

 

 

Pericrocotus flammeus

Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike

1

4

 

 

Hemipus picatus

Yellow-bellied Fantail   

6

6

 

 

Rhipidura hypoxantha

White-throated Fantail  

6

6

 

 

Rhipidura albicollis

Black Drongo  

1

10

 

I

Dicrurus macrocercus

Ashy Drongo  

11

20

 

 

Dicrurus leucophaeus

Bronzed Drongo

2

20

 

 

Dicrurus aeneus

Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo  

3

2

 

 

Dicrurus remifer

Spangled Drongo  

2

15

 

 

Dicrurus hottentotus

Brown Dipper  

2

7

 

 

Cinclus pallasii

Blue-capped Rock Thrush   

7

10

 

 

Monticola cinclorhynchus

Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush  

8

4

 

 

Monticola rufiventris

Blue Rock Thrush   

3

1

 

 

Monticola solitarius

Blue Whistling Thrush 

16

30

 

 

Myophonus caeruleus

Plain-backed Thrush

1

1

 

 

Zoothera mollisima

Scaly Thrush  

1

1

 

 

Zoothera dauma

White-collared Blackbird   

9

6

 

 

Turdus albocinctus

Grey-winged Blackbird  

2

1

 

 

Turdus boulboul

Dark-throated Thrush

2

3

 

 

Turdus ruficollis atrogularis

Lesser Shortwing  

5

5

(H)

 

Brachypteryx leucophrys

White-browed Shortwing

4

14

(H)

 

Brachypteryx montana

Dark-sided Flycatcher  

9

3

 

 

Muscicapa sibirica

Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher  

10

15

 

 

Ficedula strophiata

Red-throated Flycatcher

1

1

 

 

Ficedula parva albicilla

White-gorgeted Flycatcher  

3

2

(H)

 

Ficedula monileger

Little Pied Flycatcher  

4

3

 

 

Ficedula westermanni

Ultramarine Flycatcher   

4

4

 

 

Ficedula superciliaris

Slaty-blue Flycatcher  

2

2

 

 

Ficedula tricolor

Verditer Flycatcher  

10

10

 

 

Eumyias thalassina

Large Niltava  

4

4

(H)

 

Niltava grandis

Small Niltava  

6

6

 

 

Niltava macgrigoriae

Rufous-bellied Niltava  

5

4

 

 

Niltava sundara

Pale Blue Flycatcher

3

2

(H)

 

Cyornis unicolor

Blue-throated Flycatcher

1

6

 

 

Cyornis rubeculoides

Pygmy Blue Flycatcher  

1

1

 

 

Muscicapella hodgsoni

Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher  

11

10

 

 

Culicicapa ceylonensis

Bluethroat

1

1

 

I

Luscinia svecica

Indian Blue Robin  

1

1

 

 

Luscinia brunnea

Orange-flanked Bush Robin  

3

3

 

 

Tarsiger cyanurus

Golden Bush Robin  

6

4

 

 

Tarsiger chrysaeus

White-browed Bush Robin  

5

4

(H)

 

Tarsiger indicus

Rufous-breasted Bush Robin

1

2

 

 

Tarsiger hyperythrus

Oriental Magpie Robin  

6

4

 

 

Copsychus saularis

Indian Robin

1

4

 

I

Saxicoloides fulicata

Blue-fronted Redstart  

8

10

 

 

Phoenicurus frontalis

White-capped Water Redstart  

14

8

 

 

Chaimarrornis leucocephalus

Plumbeous Water Redstart  

7

8

 

 

Rhyacornis fuliginosus

White-tailed Robin  

7

5

(H)

 

Myiomela leucura

Blue-fronted Robin   

4

5

(H)

 

Cinclidium frontale

Little Forktail

1

2

 

 

Enicurus scouleri

Slaty-backed Forktail  

2

4

 

 

Enicurus schistaceus

Spotted Forktail

2

3

 

 

Enicurus maculatus

Common Stonechat   

2

1

 

 

Saxicola torquata

Pied Bushchat

1

2

 

I

Saxicola caprata

Grey Bushchat  

11

6

 

 

Saxicola ferrea

Asian Pied Starling  

1

10

 

I

Sturnus contra

Common Myna  

9

100

 

 

Acridotheres tristis

Bank Myna

1

20

 

I

Acridotheres ginginianus

Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch  

2

6

 

 

Sitta castanea

White-tailed Nuthatch  

8

4

 

 

Sitta himalayensis

Beautiful Nuthatch

2

3

 

 

Sitta formosa

Rusty-flanked Treecreeper  

3

2

 

 

Certhia nipalensis

Brown-throated Treecreeper  

3

2

(H)

 

Certhia discolor

Winter Wren  

2

2

(H)

 

Troglodytes troglodytes

Rufous-vented Tit  

8

10

 

 

Parus rubidiventris

Coal Tit   

9

30

 

 

Parus ater

Grey-crested Tit  

3

4

 

 

Parus dichrous

Green-backed Tit  

14

10

 

 

Parus monticolus

Yellow-cheeked Tit   

3

2

 

 

Parus spilonotus

Yellow-browed Tit  

4

6

 

 

Sylviparus modestus

Sultan Tit   

4

4

 

 

Melanochlora sultanea

Black-throated Tit  

6

10

 

 

Aegithalos concinnus

Rufous-fronted Tit   

2

10

 

 

Aegithalos iouschistos

Plain Martin  

1

20

 

I

Riparia paludicola

Barn Swallow  

1

2

 

I

Hirundo rustica

Asian House Martin  

1

20

 

 

Delichon dasypus

Nepal House Martin  

6

100

 

 

Delichon nipalensis

Striated Bulbul  

8

10

 

 

Pycnonotus striatus

Black-crested Bulbul  

1

2

 

 

P. melanicterus flaviventris

Himalayan Bulbul  

1

4

 

 

Pycnonotus leucogenys

Red-vented Bulbul

8

30

 

 

Pycnonotus cafer

White-throated Bulbul

1

6

 

 

Alophoixus flaveolus

Ashy Bulbul

3

10

 

 

Hemixos flavala

Mountain Bulbul 

7

8

 

 

Hypsipetes mcclellandii

Black Bulbul  

9

200

 

 

Hypsipetes leucocephalus

Zitting Cisticola

1

1

(H)

I

Cisticola juncidis

Striated Prinia  

6

20

 

 

Prinia criniger

Hill Prinia

4

4

 

 

Prinia atrogularis

Yellow-bellied Prinia

1

2

 

I

Prinia f. flaviventris

Ashy Prinia

1

4

 

I

Prinia socialis

Oriental White-eye  

6

8

 

 

Zosterops palpebrosus

Chestnut-headed Tesia  

10

4

(H)

 

Tesia castaneocoronata

Slaty-bellied Tesia  

3

10

(H)

 

Tesia olivea

Grey-bellied Tesia  

9

8

(H)

 

Tesia cyaniventer

Brownish-flanked Bush Warbler  

12

4

(H)

 

Cettia fortipes

Yellowish-bellied Bush Warbler  

5

8

(H)

 

Cettia acanthizoides

Grey-sided Bush Warbler  

11

18

(H)

 

Cettia brunnifrons

Russet Bush Warbler   

4

4

(H)

 

Bradypterus seebohmi

Blyth's Reed Warbler  

1

1

 

I

Acrocephalus dumetorum

Sykes’s Warbler

1

1

 

I

Hippolais rama

Mountain Tailorbird  

2

2

H

 

Orthotomus cuculatus

Tickell's Leaf Warbler  

5

4

 

 

Phylloscopus affinis

Buff-barred Warbler  

5

8

 

 

Phylloscopus pulcher

Ashy-throated Warbler  

5

8

 

 

Phylloscopus maculipennis

Lemon-rumped Warbler  

8

10

 

 

Phylloscopus chloronotus

Yellow-browed Warbler

1

3

H

 

Phylloscopus inornatus

Greenish Warbler

3

2

(H)

 

Phylloscopus trochiloides

Large-billed Leaf Warbler  

10

23

(H)

 

Phylloscopus magnirostris

Blyth's Leaf Warbler  

12

10

 

 

Phylloscopus reguloides

Yellow-vented Warbler  

4

25

 

 

Phylloscopus cantator

Golden-spectacled Warbler  

7

10

 

 

Seicercus burkii

Whistler’s Warbler  

8

8

 

 

Seicercus whistleri nemoralis

Grey-hooded Warbler  

4

10

 

 

Seicercus xanthoschistos

Grey-cheeked Warbler  

2

4

 

 

Seicercus poliogenys

Chestnut-crowned Warbler  

7

3

 

 

Seicercus castaniceps

Broad-billed Warbler  

4

1

 

 

Tickellia hodgsoni

Rufous-faced Warbler

1

3

 

 

Abroscopus albogularis

Black-faced Warbler  

2

3

 

 

Abroscopus schisticeps

White-throated Laughingthrush  

10

40

 

 

Garrulax albogularis

White-crested Laughingthrush  

4

10

 

 

Garrulax leucolophus

Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush

1

1

H

 

Garrulax pectoralis

Striated Laughingthrush  

11

20

 

 

Garrulax striatus

Rufous-chinned Laughingthrush

2

2

 

 

Garrulax rufogularis

Spotted Laughingthrush  

4

3

(H)

 

Garrulax ocellatus

Grey-sided Laughingthrush  

2

2

 

 

Garrulax caerulatus

Streaked Laughingthrush  

6

4

 

 

Garrulax lineatus imbricatus

Blue-winged Laughingthrush  

4

4

 

 

Garrulax squamatus

Black-faced Laughingthrush  

8

10

 

 

Garrulax affinis

Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush  

6

10

 

 

G. erythrocephalus nigrimentum

Red-faced Liocichla

1

2

 

 

Liocichla phoenicea

Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler 

3

2

 

 

Pomatorhinus erythrogenys

White-browed Scimitar Babbler

1

1

 

 

Pomatorhinus schisticeps

Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler 

6

6

 

 

Pomatorhinus ruficollis

Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler  

4

1

 

 

Xiphirhynchus superciliaris

Long-billed Wren Babbler

3

1

 

 

Rimator m. malacoptilus

Scaly-breasted Wren Babbler  

4

5

(H)

 

Pnoepyga albiventer

Pygmy Wren Babbler  

8

5

(H)

 

Pnoepyga pusilla

Rufous-throated Wren Babbler  

3

4

(H)

 

Spelaeornis caudatus

Bar-winged Wren Babbler  

1

1

 

 

Spelaeornis troglodytoides

Spotted Wren Babbler  

3

5

(H)

 

Spelaeornis formosus

Wedge-billed Wren Babbler  

2

2

 

 

Sphenocichla humei humei

Rufous-capped Babbler  

9

10

 

 

Stachyris ruficeps

Golden Babbler  

5

6

 

 

Stachyris chrysaea

Grey-throated Babbler

2

8

 

 

Stachyris nigriceps

Common Babbler

1

4

 

I

Turdoides caudatus

Striated Babbler

1

6

 

I

Turdoides striatus

Large Grey Babbler

1

1

H

I

Turdoides malcolmi

Silver-eared Mesia

2

1

H

 

Leiothrix argentauris

Red-billed Leiothrix  

10

6

(H)

 

Leiothrix lutea

Cutia  

6

7

(H)

 

Cutia nipalensis

White-browed Shrike Babbler  

13

3

(H)

 

Pteruthius flaviscapis

Black-headed Shrike Babbler

2

1

 

 

Pteruthius rufiventer

Green Shrike Babbler  

3

3

 

 

Pteruthius xanthochlorus

Black-eared Shrike Babbler  

3

2

 

 

Pteruthius melanotis

Rusty-fronted Barwing  

1

10

 

 

Actinodura egertoni

Hoary-throated Barwing  

2

5

 

 

Actinodura nipalensis

Blue-winged Minla  

5

10

 

 

Minla cyanouroptera

Chestnut-tailed Minla   

7

8

 

 

Minla strigula

Red-tailed Minla  

4

10

 

 

Minla ignotincta