Ladakh Birding

About Bird Watching in Ladakh

Ladakh is home to around 300 species of birds, and birdwatching can be one of the many exciting things Most of these are migratory species & breeding migrants who cross the Himalayan Range during their spring & autumn migrations.

Birdwatching in Ladakh can be very exciting, as you get to spot a variety of both residential birds as well as migratory ones. The pristine landscape complements the beauty of these birds too, and what you get is a memorable experience.

What are the different bird species found in Ladakh?

Ladakh is located on the boundary of the Paleartic-Oriental zoogeographic regions, and also partly within the Tibetan biome. There are a variety of bird species that can be spotted in Ladakh.

Resident bird species of Ladakh

The resident species, or those that belong to the region, breed at high elevation, but arrive only during the winters. A few of the resident birds of Ladakh are:

• Common Merganser
• Himalayan Griffon
• Golden Eagle
• Tibetan Snowcock
• Tibetan Partridge
• Eurasian Eagle Owl
• Snow pigeon
• Brown Dipper
• Winter Wren
• Alpine Accentor

Migratory bird species in Ladakh

Some of the species arrive between October-early December to winter in Ladakh. The most diverse of the bird species however, are the passage migrants which pass through Ladakh during their spring migration from late March-May, and from late August-November in the autumn. A few of the migratory birds of Ladakh are:

• Jungle crow
• Eurasian Jackdaw
• Hume’s Groundpecker
• Black Drongo
• Eurasian Golden Oriole
• Common Starling
• Plain backed snowfinch
• Spanish Sparrow
• Bar tailed Treecreeper
• Yellowhammer

Where can bird species be spotted in Ladakh?

The migrant species in Ladakh are more generally spotted in central & eastern Ladakh. If there is a sudden change in the weather conditions, then there is a larger number of migrant birds spotted in places like Hanle, Chumur, Tso Kar & Shey-Tikse region.

The famous places for birdwatching in Ladakh are Suru Valley, Nubra Valley, Shey marshes, Tso Moriri Lake & Hemis National Park. The region between Sanko & Parachik in Suru Valley is famous for spotting various bird species like fire capped tit cephalopterus flammiceps, white tailed rubythroat luscinia pectoralis & various warblers.

In the areas around Rizong Monastery, one can spot various kinds of bird species like brown dipper, eurasian sparrowhawk and wallcreeper. Birdwatching in Ladakh can also be enjoyed in Rumbak Valley, Hemis National Park, Nubra Valley, Tso Moriri Lake & Tsokar Plains.

Best Time for Bird Watching in Ladakh

The months from April to September are the best time for birdwatching in Ladakh.