Introduction:
The Great Himalayan National Park is located in Kullu district, Himachal
Pradesh. It is a protected area and is an important Endemic Bird Area.
We visited the Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP) in Himachal Pradesh for
trekking / bird watching in the third week of June. Our main target was the
Western Tragopan (Tragopan melanocephalus). We trekked for four days in the
Sainj valley and for one day in the Tirthan valley. The trekking was moderate.
Our itinerary was as follows:
June 18: Arrival at Sainj Village
June 19: Trek from Neuli to Chengah (approx two hours)
June 20: Trek from Chengah to Shakti (approx seven hours)
June 21: Trek from Shakti to Humkhani (approx four hours)
June 22: Trek from Humkhani to Neuli (approx ten hours)
June 23: Transfer to Nagini village in Tirthan Valley. Trek from Gushaini
besides the Tirthan River (two hours)
June 24: Departure to Narkanda, Shimla.
We recorded the birds seen in the area. Whenever possible, photographs of the
birds seen were taken. Photography was difficult in the densely forested areas.
The birds seen on the road from Aut to Sainj, around Sainj town and on the road
after the Jhalori Pass area up to the town of Ani, on the way to Narkanda, were
also recorded though these areas do not directly fall inside the GHNP area,
though some of these areas fall in the Eco-zone of the GHNP.
We did not see the Western Tragopan. Locals in the area and forest department
officials informed us that the best time to see the Western Tragopan was in late
March and early April.
Our trek was organized by Mr. Ankit Sood and Mr. Panki Sood of Sunshine
Adventures. All the arrangements, including a guide and porters etc, were done
by them. They can be contacted at www.sunshineadventure.com . Sainj can be
reached by turning right just before the Aut Tunnel, on the Delhi – Manali
highway.
View Larger Map
Annotated Species List
The List of birds seen is as follows: {the order is as per Kazmierczak
(2000) and this along with Rasmussen and Anderton (2005) was used for
identification}
1. Black Kite Milvus migrans : Four seen around Sainj and one near Gushaini
area.
2. Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus: One seen once on the route between Chengah and
Shakti.
3. Himalayan Griffon Gyps himalayensis: Common in the GHNP area with upto 15 to
20 individuals seen daily.
4. Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus: One nesting pair near Sainj with three
chicks.
5. Black Francolin Francolinus francolinus: Common near Sainj with calls heard
regularly in the lower NP area.
6. Himalayan Monal Lophophorus impejanus: A pair with one chick seen near
Humkhani area
7. Koklass Pheasant Pucrasia macrolopha: One female with three chicks seen on
the way to Humkhani
8. Kalij Pheasant Lophura leucomelanos : Two males seen near Shakti FRH.
9. Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis: Seen thrice in the GHNP area
10. Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon Treron sphenura: Commonly seen in the GHNP area
almost daily.
11. Speckled Wood Pigeon Columba hodgsonii: Commonly seen in the GHNP area
almost daily
12. Rock Pigeon Columba livia: Common near Sainj and Neuli villages
13. Slaty-headed Parakeet Psittacula himalayana: Commonly seen in all areas
14. Large Hawk Cuckoo Hierococcyx sparverioides: One seen besides the Tirthan
river near Gushaini
15. Himalayan Swiftlet Collocalia brevirostris: A group of five seen on road
between Sainj and Gushaini
16. Alpine Swift Tachymarptis melba: Very common in Sainj with up to 25 seen.
17. Fork-tailed Swift Apus pacificus: two seen near Sainj
18. White-throated Needle tail Hirundapus caudacutus: two seen near Gushaini
19. White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis: Two seen near Sainj
20. Crested Kingfisher Megaceryle lugubris: One seen near Gushaini
21. Great Barbet Megalaima virens: Very common with two-three seen daily
22. Brown-fronted Woodpecker Dendrocopos auriceps: three seen near Neuli
23. Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker Dendrocopos macei: Two seen near Shakti area
24. Himalayan Woodpecker Dendrocopos himalayensis: Common in the NP area with
three-four individuals seen thrice
25. Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus: Common in the area
26. Spot-winged Starling Saroglossa spiloptera: One seen on the route between
Chengah and Shakti . Not given in Gaston et al (1993)
27. Common Myna Acridotheres tristis: Common near Sainj
28. Jungle Myna Acridotheres fuscus: One seen on the road between Jhalori Pass
and Narkanda
29. Yellow-billed Blue Magpie Urocissa flavirostris: Commonly seen almost daily
30. Red-billed Blue Magpie Urocissa erythrorhyncha: Three seen on the road from
before Sainj
31. Grey Treepie Dendrocitta formosae: One seen near Sai Ropa area
32. Spotted Nutcracker Nucifraga caryocatactes: Common near Humkhani, good views
of an adult feeding a juvenile
33. House Crow Corvus splendens: Common near Sainj and Gushaini villages
34. Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos: Very common in the area
35. Long-tailed Minivet Pericrocotus ethologus: Four seen near Humkhani
36. Himalayan Bulbul Pycnonotus leucogenys: Common in the area
37. Black Bulbul Hypsipetes leucocephalus: Common in the area
38. Rufous Sibia Heterophasia capistrata: One seen near Chengah village
39. Whiskered Yuhina Yuhina flavicollis: seen twice near Chengah
40. Streaked Laughingthrush Garrulax lineatus: Two seen near Shakti FRH
41. Variegated Laughingthrush Garrulax variegates: A pair seen near Humkhani
42. Ultramarine Flycatcher Ficedula superciliaris: One seen after Jhalori Pass
43. Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher Ficedula strophiata: A pair seen near Humkhani
44. Verditer Flycatcher Eumyias thalassina: One individual seen near Jhalori
pass
45. Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis: Common near Shakti FRH
46. Asian Paradise-flycatcher Terpsiphone paradise: Two white morph adult males
seen between Shakti and Neuli villages
47. Grey-hooded Warbler Seicercus xanthoschistos: Commonly seen almost daily
48. Brownish-flanked Bush Warbler Cettia fortipes: very common with its
distinctive call heard daily in all areas and good views of one individual near
Shakti FRH
49. Hill Prinia Prinia atrogularis: One seen on the road after Jhalori Pass
50. Striated Prinia Prinia criniger: Common near Sainj area
51. Tickell’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus affinis: One seen in mixed hunting flock
near Shakti FRH
52. Lemon-rumped Warbler Phylloscopus chloronotus: two seen near Gushaini
53. Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides: One seen near Gushaini and calls
heard
54. Western Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus occipitalis: Common in the NP area
55. Blyth’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus reguloides: One seen in mixed flock near
Gushaini
56. Hume’s Warbler Phylloscopus humei: One seen in mixed flock near Shakti
57. Indian Blue Robin Luscinia brunnea: Two males seen singing on the trail from
Shakti to Humkhani. It is not given in Gaston et al (1993). Unfortunately a
photograph could not be taken there. (However a male was seen near Narkanda and
photographed, hence its occurrence in the area was noted and confirmed. Photo
attached here)
58. Golden Bush Robin Tarsiger chrysaeus: One seen on the trail near Gushaini
59. White-capped Water Redstart Chaimarrornis leucocephalus: One seen on the
road after Jhalori Pass
60. Plumbeous Water Redstart Rhyacornis fuliginosus: Very common in the area
61. Little Forktail Enicurus scouleri: One seen on the Sainj river
62. Spotted Forktail Enicurus maculates: Seen thrice , both on the Sainj and
Tirthan river
63. Brown Dipper Cinclus pallasii: Common in the Sainj river with almost 7 to 8
seen, including juveniles
64. White-throated Dipper Cinclus cinclus: One seen on the Sainj river just
before Shakti which was smaller in size and looked different from the juvenile
Brown Dippers seen in the area. This individual had a distinct white throat and
upper breast with a darkish belly and grayish wings. It was probably a Juvenile
White-throated Dipper. A record photograph is attached here, which is not very
clear. If confirmed, it will be a new species for the area as it is not given in
Gaston et al (1993).
65. Siberian Stonechat Saxicola torquata: One male seen on the road after
Jhalori Pass
66. Pied Bushchat Saxicola caprata: One male seen
67. Grey Bushchat Saxicola ferrea: very common in the area
68. Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius: One seen before Sainj
69. Blue Whistling Thrush Myophonus caeruleus: very common in the area
70. Long-tailed Thrush Zoothera dixoni: One individual seen just before Jhalori
Pass
71. White-collared Blackbird Turdus albocinctus: Seen twice, a pair seen before
Humkani and near Jhalori Pass
72. Grey-winged Blackbird Turdus boulboul: Common with three sightings in
different areas
73. Great Tit Parus major: Common in the area
74. Black-lored Tit Parus xanthogenys: One on nest seen near Shakti
75. Green-backed Tit Parus monticolus: Common near Shakti FRH
76. Spot-winged Tit Parus melanolophus: One seen on the road after Jhalori Pass
77. Rufous-naped Tit Parus rufonuchalis: Seen after Jhalori Pass
78. Eurasian Treecreeper Certhia familiaris: One seen near Humkhani FRH
79. Bar-tailed Treecreeper Certhia himalayana: One seen near Humkhani FRH
80. White-cheeked Nuthatch Sitta leucopsis: A pair seen on the trail between
Shakti and Humkhani in the forest. Could not be photographed.
81. Upland Pipit Anthus sylvanus: One individual seen near Humkhani
82. Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea: One seen near Shakti
83. Crimson Sunbird Aethopyga siparaja: One seen near Nagini Village
84. Mrs Gould’s Sunbird Aethopyga gouldiae; Seen twice near Chengah
85. Oriental White-eye Zosterops palpebrosus: Common in the area
86. Thick-billed Flowerpecker Dicaeum agile: One seen near Chengah village
87. Fire-breasted Flowerpecker Dicaeum ignipectus: One male seen near Chengah
campsite
88. Russet Sparrow Passer rutilans: Common in the area
89. Yellow-breasted Greenfinch Carduelis spinoides: A pair seen on the road
after Jhalori Pass
90. Pink-browed Rosefinch Carpodacus rodochrous: Two pairs seen near Humkhani
91. Rock Bunting Emberiza cia: Twice seen in the area, once after Jhalori Pass
and once on the road after Jhalori Pass.
The list of birds given below is a record of the birds which could not be
positively identified/ seen only fleetingly hence not considered as confirmed
sightings.
1. European Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur: One Dove, which was different
from the Oriental Turtle Doves seen in the Park, which could not be conclusively
identified
2. Ashy Wood Pigeon Columba pulchricollis: One Pigeon seen near Shakti FRH area
which was grayish in colour but could not be photographed / identified.
3. Common Swift Apus apus: Two seen near Humkhani but identity could not be
confirmed as we could not get good views
4. Bronzed Drongo Dicrurus aeneus: One seen near Neuli which looked like a
Bronzed Drongo
5. Common Raven Corvus corax: One seen soaring near Jhalori Pass which could not
be conclusively identified due to fog in the area but almost surely a Common
Raven
6. Long-tailed Minivet Pericrocotus ethologus:
One pair seen near Humkhani.
7. Stripe-throated Yuhina Yuhina gularis: Fleeting views of a Yuhina, which
looked like a Stripe-throated Yuhina, but which could not be conclusively
identified.
8. Bunting spp Emberiza: A juvenile Bunting with a white median covert wing bar,
white sides of tail and streaked upper parts which did not look like a typical
juvenile Rock Bunting. This could not be identified. Photograph attached for
reference.
References:
Gaston A.J, Garson P.J & Pandey S (1993): Birds recorded in the Great
Himalayan National Park, Himachal Pradesh, India. Forktail (9): 45-57
Grimmett,R., Inskipp,C., & Inskipp,T. (1998). Birds of the Indian Subcontinent.
London: Christopher Helm, A & C Black.
Kazmierczak, K. (2000): A field guide to the birds of India, Sri Lanka,
Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and the Maldives. London: Pica Press /
Christopher Helm.
Rasmussen, P.C & Anderton, J.C. (2005) . Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide.
2 vols. Washington D.C and Barcelona. Smithsonian Institution and Lynx Edicions.
Prasad Ganpule: prasadganpule@gmail.com
Subhash Das: subhash2801@gmail.com
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