INTRODUCTION : BIRDS OF BHUTAN

Bhutan has a wide species of birds, but as yet there is a limited knowledge of their occurrence, distribution and status. The geographical settings make it hard to generate the desired ideas and more over, there is a lack of determined and learned professionals to research on a particular subject with seriousness. However, interested individuals from outside country have been able to locate more than 600 species dwelling all across the country.

Main Habitats

The bird habitats of Bhutan can be roughly divided into:

• Forest
• Scrub
• Wetlands
• Alpine Habitats
• Agricultural Land
• Around Human Habitation

There is a small area of lowland grassland that extends into India, but this supports scattered trees and no grassland bird specialists have so far been recorded in Bhutan.

Forests and Scrub

Unlike other Himalayan countries, Bhutan still retains much of its forest substantially intact. The country’s forests are rich, diverse and beautiful, forming some of the best remaining representatives of forest habitats in the Himalayas.

Forests and bushes support high proportion of the country’s breeding birds, almost 84% of all birds, in addition to 57% of Bhutan’s globally threatened birds and 90% of the country’s restricted-range birds. Some of the major forests that are home for most of the country’s birds are:

• Subtropical and warm broadleaved forests
• Cool broadleaved forests
• Chir Pine
• Blue Pine
• Spruce
• Hemlock
• Fir
• Bamboo
• Juniper/Rhododendron

Alpine Habitats

Dry alpine scrub grows between 4000-4600m. Only a small number of species breed in this high altitude scrub and on alpine grassy and stony slopes and ridges higher up. These include Tibetan Snowcock, Alpine Accentor and Grandala which occur as high as 5500m.

Wetlands

Bhutan has rather few wetlands and, apart from some river stretches, these are very poorly known for birds. Typically, rivers and streams in the foothills and northern mountains are fast flowing, boulder-strewn torrents that cut through deep, steep-sided valleys. In central Bhutan where the valleys are wide, the rivers flow more slowly. Bhutan’s rivers run from north to south, origination in the permanent show and glaciers of the main Himalayan chain in the north, except in the east where two major rivers enter Bhutan from Tibet and Arunachal Pradesh.

Two globally threatened wetland species occur regularly in Bhutan. The rare White-bellied Heron breeds, and frequents only those rivers and lakes in dense broadleaved forests below 1400m. Pallas’ Fish Eagle which has bred and may still do so, inhabits large rivers, also below 1400m. Typical species breeding along rivers and streams are Kingfishers, Forktails, Dippers, Wagtails, Blue Whistling Thrush and White-capped Water Redstart.

The extensive marshes in Phobjikha valley in central Bhutan are an important wintering ground for the globally threatened Black-necked Crane. There are numerous small ponds and marshes, often in cultivation and around habitation, throughout Bhutan.

Agricultural Land

Far fewer species inhabit agricultural land compared to the forest that it replaced. Most of them are widespread and common. One important exception is the Black-necked Crane, which feeds partly in fallow cultivation. Another possible exception is Russet Bush Warbler which is skulking species that has been found only recently in Bhutan, although it has probably been overlooked in the past. Characteristic species of agricultural land in the subtropical zone are Spotted Dove, Red-vented Bulbul and Long-tailed Shrike.

Villages, Towns and Dzongs

The common Hoopoe and Ted-billed Chough commonly nest under roofs of Dzongs, monasteries and houses in and towns. Colonies of House Swift are widespread in villages at lower altitudes. The House Crow, Asian Pied Starling, Common Myna and sparrows are especially associated with human habitation.

IMPORTANCE FOR BIRDS

Bhutan has a diverse avifauna; more than 600 species has been recorded so far and many more are likely to be found.

Restricted-range Species

On a world scale Bhutan is recognized as forming the major part of an area of especially high biological diversity known as the Eastern Himalayan ‘conservation hotspot’. BirdLife analysis listed Bhutan as Endemic Bird Area. There are ten restricted-range species so far recorded in Bhutan, and all are probably breeding species.  Some of them are:

• Chestnut-breasted Partridge
• Blyth’s Tragopan
• Dark-rumped Swift
• Ward’s Trogon
• Rufous-throated Wren Babbler
• Hoary-throated Barwing

Globally Threatened Species

A total of 14 species recorded in Bhutan have been identified as globally threatened by BirdLife International. Bhutan is also an important wintering ground for another internationally threatened species, the Black-necked Crane.

MIGRATION

The large majority of species recorded in Bhutan are resident, although some of these are augmented by winter visitors breeding further north. Some residents are sedentary throughout the year, while others undertake irregular movements, either locally or more widely in the region, depending on food supply. Many Himalayan residents are altitudinal migrants; the level to which they descent in winter frequently depends on weather conditions.

About 40 species are summer visitors or partial migrants to Bhutan. The migration routes of a number of these summer migrants are poorly understood or unknown. Around 50 species are known to winter in Bhutan, originating from a wide area to the north in the Palearctic. There is increasing evidence from elsewhere in the Himalayas to suggest that some birds breeding in the Palearctic migrate directly across the Himalayas to winter in the southern Asian rather than circumventing the Himalayan chain to enter south Asia from the west or east of the main range. There are very few observations of bird migration in Bhutan, and this an interesting area for study.

BIRD WATCHING AREAS

The areas listed below are readily accessible, but remember that any good-quality forest with mature trees and well-developed understorey – especially subtropical forest, warm and cool broadleaved forests, oak, fir and hemlock forests – is likely to be a good area for birdwatching.

Forests along Road from Sengor to Lingmethang

Sengor (3050m) to Namling (2360m)
Habitat: Hemlock forest, cool broadleaved forest
Best time to visit: April-May
Birds: Satyr Tragopan, Bar-winged Wren Babbler, Fire-tailed Myzornis (rare).

Namling (2360m) to Yongkhala (1700m)
Habitat: Cool broadleaved, warm broadleaved forest
Best time to visit: November-Early May
Birds: Chestnut-breasted Partridge (rare), Yellow-rumped Honeyguide (rare), Rufous-necked Hornbill, Ward’s Trogon (rare), Collared Treepie (rare), Lesser Shortwing, White-gorgeted Flycatcher (rare), Rufous-breasted Bush Robin, Blue-fronted Robin, Purple Cochoa, Broad-billed Warbler, Grey-sided Laughingthrush, Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler, Coral-billed Scimitar Babbler, Rufous-throated Wren Babbler (rare), Cutia, Golden-breasted Fulvetta, Yellow-throated Fulvetta,  White-naped Yuhina, Greater Rufous-headed Parrotbill.

Yongkhala (1700m) to Lingmethang (650m)
Habitat: Warm broadleaved forest
Best time to visit: November-Early May
Birds: Rufous-bellied Hawk Eagle (rare), Collared Treepie (rare), Yellow-vented Warbler.

Forest along Road from Narphung La to Samdrup Jongkhar

Narphung La (1700m) to Deothang (850m)
Habitat: Warm broadleaved and subtropical forest
Best time to visit: November-Early May
Birds: Rufous-necked Hornbill, White-gorgeted Flycatcher (rare), Beautiful Nuthatch, Grey-sided Laughingthrush, Yellow-throated Fulvetta, White-naped Yuhina, Gold-naped Finch.

Deothang (850m) to Samdrup Jongkhar (250m)
Habitat: Subtropical forest
Best time to visit: November-Early May
Birds: Pale-headed Woodpecker (rare), Blue-eared Barbet, Wreathed Hornbill, Ward’s Trogon (rare), Blyth’s Kingfisher (rare), Violet Cuckoo (rare), Dark-rumped Swift (rare), Rufous-bellied Eagle (rare), Pied Falconet (rare), Silver-breasted Broadbill (rare), Rufous-breasted Bush Robin, Yellow-vented Warbler, Blue-winged Laughingthrush, Red-faced Liocichla, Coral-billed Scimitar Babbler, White-naped Yuhina, Greater Rufous-headed Parrotbill.

Forests along Road from Rimchu to Tashithang, Mo Chhu Valley North of Punakha (1700m) (Jigme Dorji National Park)
Habitat: Warm broadleaved forest
Best time to visit: November-Early May
Birds: White-bellied Heron (rare), White-gorgeted Flycatcher (rare), Yellow-vented Warbler.

Mo Chhu Valley 5-6 km North of Wangdue Phodrang (1300m)
Habitat: River
Best time to visit: November-Early April
Birds: Variety of ducks and other water birds.

Trek from Tashithang (1700m) to Laya (3850m) (Jigme Dorji National Park)
Best time for trek: April-early May
Recommended time: 10 days (returning same way and including 6 days trekking)

Tashithang (1700m) to Damji (2430m)
Trekking time: 1 day
Habitat: Cool broadleaved forest
Birds: Ward’s Trogon, Lesser Shortwing.

Damji (2430m) to Gasa (2770m)
Trekking time: 1 day
Habitat: Cool broadleaved forest
Birds: Black-tailed Crake (Gasa), Grey-sided Laughingthrush, Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler, Golden-breasted Fulvetta, Brown Parrotbill.

Gasa (2770m) to Koina (3200m) to Laya (3850m)
Trekking time: 2 days
Habitat: Cool broadleaved, mixed broadleaved/coniferous, fir, spruce and juniper forest
Birds: Satyr Tragopan, Rufous-breasted Bush Robin, Purple Cochoa, Yellowish-bellied Bush Warbler, Fire-tailed Myzornis, Fulvous Parrotbill, Gold-naped Finch.

Trek from Drugyel Dzong (2580m) to Jangothang (4090m) (Jigme Dorji National Park)
Best time for trek: May-June
Recommended time: 8 days (returning same way and including 6 days trekking)
Birds: Good for alpine-zone species around and above Jangothang: Tibetan Snowcock, Tibetan Partridge, Ibisbill, Himalayan Griffon, Golden Eagle, White-throated Dipper, Grandala, White-bellied Redstart.

Forest above Dodena (2575m) below Cheri Monastery on Trail towards Shodu, Thimphu Valley (Jigme Dorji National Park)
45 minutes’ taxi ride from Thimphu centre
Habitat: Oak forest
Best time to visit: April-May
Birds: Spotted Laughingthrush, Fire-capped Tit, Golden-breasted Fulvetta, Yellow-bellied Flowerpecker, Maroon-backed Accentor (winter).

Phobjikha Valley (3050m)
Japanese Quail (in crops May-July), Black-necked Crane (marshes, late October-mid-April)

Forest on East Side of Dochu La (3115m) along the Pack-horse Trail
Habitat: Fir, rhododendron, oak and bamboo forest
Best time to visit: April-May
Birds: Satyr Tragopan, Rufous-breasted Bush Robin, Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler, Gold-naped Finch.

Forest by Road over Pele La (3390m)
Habitat: Fir, rhododendron and bamboo forest
Best time to visit: April-May
Birds: Yellowish-bellied Bush Warbler, Fire-tailed Myzornis, Brown Parrotbill, Great Parrotbill, Maroon-backed Accentor (winter).

Forest by Road over Yutong La (3390m)
Habitat: Fir, rhododendron and bamboo forest
Best time to visit: April-May
Birds: Yellowish-bellied Bush Warbler, Fire-tailed Myzornis, Brown Parrotbill, Great Parrotbill, Maroon-backed Accentor (winter).

Bumthang Valley (2600m)
Habitat: Fields and rivers
Best time to visit: March-May, October-early November
Birds: Ibisbill. Spring and Autumn migrants e.g. pipits.

Torsa River at Phuntsholing (150m)
Habitat: Rivers and shingle banks and islands
Best time to visit: November-April
Birds: Good for passage migrants and wintering waders, wagtails, pipits; also egrets, Small Pratincole.