Pench tiger reserve is a popular birding safari destination. This forest area is spread over two states thus here we can find two official birds checklist which are almost similar to each other with some difference. These bird checklists are occasionally updated by experts, through different bird surveys, conducted by park management. This forest is divided in to 3 categories i.e. mixed forest, southern tropical dry deciduous teak forest and southern tropical wet forest. During jungle safari drives we will notice that here teak forest dominates the vegetation composition with undulating hilly terrains, rocky stretches and huge backwater areas of Pench river. During jeep safari drive, we need to clarify our jeep driver to give priority ot birds over tiger tracking then only we can realize the birding richness of this forest. Some of the commonly seen birds are like Common Kingfisher, Black drongo, Grey Hornbill, Red-naped Ibis, Common Hoopoe, Yellow footed Green Pegion etc. If we will do the birdwatching safari, then we will get plenty of birds photography opportunity. Certain areas are popular for certain species of birds thus good guide will prove very helpful.
Here we have tried to prepare the birds checklist of Pench tiger reserve.
S. No. | Common Name | Scientific Name | Habitat | Sighting | Status |
1 | Gadwall | Anas strepera | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Occasional | Winter visitor |
2 | Lesser Whistling-duck | Dendrocygna javanica | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Common | Local migrant |
3 | Ruddy Shelduck | Tadorna ferruginea | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Common | Winter visitor |
4 | Cotton Pygmy. -goose | Nettapus coromandelianus | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Uncommon | Winter visitor |
5 | Painted Francolin | Francolinus pictus | Grasslands | Occasional | Resident |
6 | Grey Francolin | Francolinus pondicerianus | Grasslands | Occasional | Resident |
7 | Eurasian Wigeon | Anas penelope | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Occasional | Winter visitor |
8 | Mallard | Anas platyrhynchos | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Uncommon | Winter visitor |
9 | Spot-billed Duck | Anas poecilorhyncha | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Uncommon | Winter visitor |
10 | Northern Pintail | Anas acuta | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Common | Winter visitor |
11 | Garganey | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Occasional | Winter visitor | |
12 | Common Teal | Anas crecca | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Occasional | Winter Visitor |
13 | Red-crested Pochard | Rhodonessa rufina | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Occasional | Winter visitor |
14 | Common Pochard | Aythya ferina | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Occasional | Winter visitor |
15 | Ferruginous Pochard | Aythya nyroca | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Occasional | Winter visitor |
16 | Tufted Duck | Aythya fuligula | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Uncommon | Winter visitor |
17 | Yellow-legged Buttonquail | Turnix tanki | Grassland / Meadows, Open scrub forest, Countryside | Uncommon | Resident |
18 | Barred Buttonquail | Turnix suscitator | Grassland / Meadows, Open scrubland | Uncommon | Resident |
19 | Jungle Bush Quail | Perdicula asiatica | Dry scrubland, Grassland | Occasional | Local Migrant, Resident |
20 | Eurasian Wryneck | Jynx torquilla | Open scrub land | Rare | Winter visitor |
21 | Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpecker | Dendrocopos nanus | Teak forest,Miscellaneous forest,Bamboo forest | Common | Resident |
22 | Yellow-crowned Woodpecker | Dendrocopos mahrattensis | Teak forest, Miscellaneous forest, Bamboo forest, Countryside | Common | Resident |
23 | Rufous Woodpecker | Celeus brachyurus | Teak forest, Miscellaneous forest, Bamboo forest, Woodlands | Uncommon | Resident |
24 | Lesser Yellownape | Picus chlorolophus | Teak forest,Bamboo forest | Occasional | Resident |
25 | Malabar Pied Hornbill | Anthracoceros coronatus | Teak forest, Miscellaneous forest | Occasional | Resident |
26 | Common Hoopoe | Upupa epops | Countryside | Common | Resident |
27 | Indian Roller Coracias | Benghalensis | Teak forest, Miscellaneous forest, Countryside | Common | Resident |
28 | Common Kingfisher | Alcedo atthis | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Occasional | Resident |
29 | Stork-billed Kingfisher | Halcyon capensis | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Occasional | Resident |
30 | White-throated Kingfisher | Halcyon smyrnensis | Miscellaneous forest, Woodlands, Countryside, Wetlands / Marshy lands | Common | Resident |
31 | Pied Kingfisher | Ceryle rudis | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Common | Resident |
32 | Green Bee-eater | Merops orientalis | Miscellaneous forest, Woodlands, Open scrub forest, Countryside | Common | Resident |
33 | Common Hawk Cuckoo | Hierococcyx varius | Miscellaneous forest, Woodlands,Teak forest, Miscellaneous forest, Bamboo forest | Common | Resident |
34 | Eurasian Cuckoo | Cuculus canorus | Teak forest, Miscellaneous forest, Bamboo forest | Uncommon | Resident |
35 | Blue-tailed Bee-eater | Merops philippinus | Miscellaneous forest | Uncommon | Summer visitor |
36 | Pied Cuckoo | Clamator jacobinus | Teak forest,Miscellaneous forest,Bamboo forest,Open scrub forest, Countryside | Common | Summer visitor |
37 | Indian Cuckoo | Cuculus micropterus | Teak forest, Miscellaneous forest, Bamboo forest | Uncommon | Winter visitor |
38 | Grey-bellied Cuckoo | Cacomantis passerinus | Teak forest, Bamboo forest, Open scrub forest | Occasional | Resident |
39 | Asian Koel | Eudynamys scolopacea | Teak forest,Miscellaneous forest,Bamboo forest,Woodlands | Common | Resident |
40 | Sirkeet Malkoha | Phaenicophaeus leschenaultii | Miscellaneous forest, Bamboo forest, Open scrub forest | Occasional | Resident |
41 | Greater Coucal | Centropus sinensis | Miscellaneous forest, Bamboo forest, Grassland / Meadows, Open scrub forest, Countryside | Common | Resident |
42 | Alexandrine Parakeet | Psittacula eupatria | Teak forest, Miscellaneous forest, Bamboo forest, Woodlands | Common | Resident |
43 | Rose-ringed Parakeet | Psittacula krameri | Teak forest, Miscellaneous forest, Bamboo forest, Woodlands, Grassland / Meadows, Countryside | Common | Resident |
44 | Plum-headed Parakeet | Psittacula cyanocephala | Teak forest, Miscellaneous forest, Bamboo forest, Woodlands | Common | Resident |
45 | White-rumped Needletail | Zoonavena sylvatica | Miscellaneous forest, Bamboo forest | Occasional | Resident |
46 | Asian Palm Swift | Cypsiurus balasiensis | Countryside | Occasional | Resident |
47 | House Swift | Apus affinis | Countryside, Wetlands / Marshy lands | Common | Resident |
48 | Crested Treeswift | Hemiprocne coronata | Common | Resident | |
49 | Barn Owl | Tyto alba | Countryside | Uncommon | Resident |
50 | Short-eared Owl | Asio flammeus | Countryside | Uncommon | Resident |
51 | Oriental Scops Owl | Otus sunia | Teak forest, Miscellaneous forest | Uncommon | Resident |
52 | Collared Scops Owl | Otus bakkamoena | Teak forest, Miscellaneous forest, Bamboo forest | Occasional | Resident |
53 | Eurasian Eagle Owl | Bubo bubo | Teak forest, Miscellaneous forest | Occasional | Resident |
54 | Brown Fish Owl | Ketupa zeylonensis | Teak forest | Uncommon | Resident |
55 | Brown Wood Owl | Strix leptogrammica | Teak forest, Miscellaneous forest | Uncommon | Resident |
56 | Spotted Owlet | Athene brama | Teak forest, Miscellaneous forest, Countryside | Occasional | Resident |
57 | Mottled Wood Owl | Strix ocellata | Teak forest, Miscellaneous forest | Occasional | Resident |
58 | Oriental Turtle Dove | Streptopelia orientalis | Teak forest, Miscellaneous forest, Bamboo forest | Occasional | Resident |
59 | Laughing Dove | Streptopelia senegalensis | Open scrub forest, Countryside | Common | Resident |
60 | Spotted Dove | Streptopelia chinensis | Teak forest, Miscellaneous forest, Woodlands, Countryside | Common | Resident |
61 | Red Collared Dove | Streptopelia tranquebarica | Miscellaneous forest, Bamboo forest | Occasional | Resident |
62 | Eurasian Collared Dove | Streptopelia decaocto | Teak forest, Open scrub forest, Countryside | Common | Resident |
63 | Emerald Dove | Chalcophaps indica | Teak forest | Rare | Resident |
64 | Yellow-footed Green Pigeon | Treron phoenicoptera | Teak forest, Miscellaneous forest, Bamboo forest | Common | Resident |
65 | White-breasted Waterhen | Amaurornis phoenicurus | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Common | Resident |
66 | Purple Swamphen | Porphyrio porphyrio | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Occasional | Resident |
67 | Common Moorhen | Gallinula chloropus | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Common | Resident |
68 | Common Coot | Fulica atra | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Occasional | Winter Visitor |
69 | Painted Sandgrouse | Pterocles indicus | Open scrub forest | Occasional | Resident |
70 | Common Snipe | Gallinago gallinago | &Wetlands / Marshy lands | Occasional | Winter Visitor |
71 | Green Sandpiper | Tringa ochropus | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Common | Winter visitor |
72 | Wood Sandpiper | Tringa glareola | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Uncommon | Winter visitor |
73 | Common Sandpiper | Actitis hypoleucos | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Occasional | Winter visitor |
74 | Little Stint | Calidris minuta | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Occasional | Winter visitor |
75 | Greater Painted-snipe | Rostratula benghalensis | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Common | Resident |
76 | Bronze-winged Jacana | Metopidius indicus | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Occasional | Resident |
77 | Eurasian Thick-knee | Burhinus oedicnemus | Teak forest, Open scrub forest, Countryside | Common | Resident |
78 | Black-winged Stilt | Himantopus mimantopus | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Common | Resident |
79 | Little Ringed Plover | Charadrius dubius | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Occasional | Winter visitor |
80 | Yellow-wattled Lapwing | Vanellus malabaricus | Countryside | Occasional | Resident |
81 | River Lapwing | Vanellus duvaucelii | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Common | Resident |
82 | Red-wattled Lapwing | Vanellus indicus | Countryside, Wetlands / Marshy lands | Common | Resident |
83 | Indian Courser | Cursorius coromandelicus | Countryside | Uncommon | Resident |
84 | River Tern | Sterna aurantia | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Occasional | Resident |
85 | Osprey | Pandion haliaetus | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Occasional | Winter visitor |
86 | Oriental Honey-buzzard | Pernis ptilorhyncus | Teak forest, Miscellaneous forest, Grassland / Meadows, Open scrub forest, Countryside | Common | Resident |
87 | Black-shouldered Kite | Elanus careruleus | Grassland / Meadows, Open scrub forest, Countryside | Common | Resident |
88 | Black Kite | Milvus migrans | Countryside | Rare | Resident |
89 | Brahminy Kite | Haliastur indus | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Uncommon | Resident |
90 | Pallas's Fish Eagle | Halieetus leucoryphus | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Occasional | Resident |
91 | Grey-headed Fish Eagle | Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Occasional | Resident |
92 | Egyptian Vulture | Neophron percnopterus | Countryside | Common | Resident |
93 | White-rumped Vulture | Gyps bengalensis | Miscellaneous forest, Countryside | Common | Resident |
94 | Long-billed Vulture | Gyps indicus | Countryside | Common | Resident |
95 | Cinereous Vulture / Eurasian Black Vulture | Aegypius monachus | Countryside | Rate | Vagrant |
96 | Red-headed Vulture | Sarcogyps calvus | Teak forest, Miscellaneous forest, Countryside | Occasional | Resident |
97 | Short-toed Snake Eagle | Cicaetus gallicus | Grassland, Open scrub forest, Countryside | Uncommon | Resident |
98 | Crested Serpent Eagle | Spilomis cheela | Teak forest, Miscellaneous forest | Common | Resident |
99 | Eurasian Marsh Harrier | Circus aeruginosus | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Occasional | Resident |
100 | Pied Harrier | Circus melanoleucos | Grassland | Rare | Winter visitor |
101 | Crested Goshawk | Teak forest | Rare | Vagrant | |
102 | Shikra | Teak forest, Miscellaneous forest, Woodlands, Countryside | |||
103 | Besra | Miscellaneous forest | Rare | ||
104 | White-eyed Buzzard | Teak forest,Miscellaneous forest,Woodlands,Grassland, Open scrub forest | |||
105 | Common Buzzard | Miscellaneous forest | |||
106 | Tawny Eagle | Teak forest, Miscellaneous forest | |||
107 | Bonelli's Eagle | Teak forest | |||
108 | Booted Eagle | Teak forest | |||
109 | Changeable Hawk Eagle | Teak forest, Miscellaneous forest, Bamboo forest | |||
110 | Common Kestrel | Grassland, Countryside | |||
111 | Laggar Falcon | Miscellaneous forest,, Open scrub forest, Countryside | |||
112 | Reregrine Falcon | Teak forest, Wetlands / Marshy lands | |||
113 | Little Grebe | Wetlands / Marshy lands | |||
114 | Great Crested Brebe | Wetlands / Marshy lands | |||
115 | Oriental Darter | Wetlands / Marshy lands | |||
116 | Little Cormorant | Wetlands / Marshy lands | |||
117 | Indian Cormorant | Wetlands / Marshy lands | |||
118 | Great Cormorant | Wetlands / Marshy lands | |||
119 | Little Egret | Wetlands / Marshy lands | |||
120 | Grey Heron | Wetlands / Marshy lands | |||
121 | Purple Heron | Wetlands / Marshy lands | |||
122 | Great Egret | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Resident | ||
123 | Cattle Egret | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Resident | ||
124 | Indermediate Egret | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Resident | ||
125 | Black-crowned Night Heron | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Resident | ||
126 | Indian Pond Heron | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Resident | ||
127 | Black-headed Ibis | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Resident | ||
128 | Red-naped Ibis | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Resident | ||
129 | Painted Stork | Wetlands / Marshy lands | Resident | ||
130 | Asian Openbill | Anastomus oscitans | Wetland / Marshy lands | Occasional | Resident |
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