Come, meet the winged visitors - in Madhya Pradesh

Are you one of those bird lovers who frequently keep looking for an exclusive birding destination to satiate your desire for bird watching and even photograph those little birdies? Well! If that is something you relate yourself with, then here we bring you a few exotic migratory bird watching spots in Madhya Pradesh that can pacify your love for birds! A range of habitats from forests, wetlands, and grasslands here allow for the survival of several species and hence you also get a lot of places to spot these winged visitors in central India. Read on....

1. National Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary

For birders, Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary becomes a birding paradise in the winter months. And why? Besides a rich aquatic fauna, Chambal harbors a large number of birds including migratory birds of various varieties.

The sanctuary is home to over 300 species of birds, both migratory and resident. These include Bar-headed goose, Pintail, Comb Duck, Spotbill, Common Teal, Little Grebe, White-eye Pochard, Great White Pelicans and Mallard. You can best spot these birds by taking a birding tours conducted on boat safaris on the river. One may also see the Gharials that is endemic to Chambal river and other tributaries of Yamuna. Other than these, you can also be camera ready to capture Red Crowned roof turtle that is generally seen basking on the river bank in this season.

2. Satpura Tiger Reserve

It offers good birding opportunity due to its unique terrain and many water bodies including Tawa Reservoir. This reservoir abuts the western boundary of Satpura National Park. From November to March, Tawa hosts an array of winter visitors that flock these waters. Some of them include steppe eagle, Ruddy Shelduck, Northern Shoveler, Osprey, Tufted Duck, Red Crested Pochard and more. Satpura Tiger Reserve is also an ideal habitat for crocodiles and as you take a boat ride here you can also spot some of them quietly basking in the sun. Besides this, you also get a chance to spot animals like Deer, Gour, and if you are lucky enough you may even end up spotting a big cat towards the area near the river bank.

3. Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary

Situated on the Northern boundary of Neemuch and Mandsaur districts, Gandhi Sagar reservoir is yet another spot that provides shelter to many migratory birds. The wildlife has an undulating topography and there are hillocks interspaced with plain areas. Chambal is the main river of the area and some of the migratory birds that can be spotted here include Flamingo, Spoonbill, Ibis, Herons, Brahminy Duck, Pochard etc. Notably, the wildlife sanctuary has the second largest vulture population of the state. So when on a trip to Gandhi Sagar, you can even spot them perching on a rock cliff.

4. Van Vihar National Park, Bhopal

Bird watching in Bhopal is literally an experience for the bird lovers. In order to spot the migratory birds, Van Vihar National Park that is located on a hill adjacent to the upper lake within the city allows these winged visitors to make for an ideal habitat during winters. Bird watching camps are being organized at the park to create awareness towards migratory birds, its habitat and the environment. Drongo, Woodpecker, bee-eater, greater flamingo, Greylag Goose etc are some of the migratory birds that you can spot here. One may also get to see the very beautiful Sarus Crane and one can easily spot these on the banks of the upper lake.

Sirpur Lake (Indore), Bargi Dam (Jabalpur) and Bheemgarh Tank (Seoni) are also some of the spots where you can take a tour to spot migratory birds. So, it's winter folks! Book your trip to the Heart of Incredible India and come with your cameras ready to spot these lovely birdies in their natural habitat here.