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A large number of people all over the world enjoy bird watching in India. There are over 1200 species of birds found in the India and at least 500 species alone in the Indira Gandhi Sanctuary or Indira Gandhi National Park. In here birds are colorful, lively and interesting to listen to. Bird watching does not require a lot of equipment; just a good pair of binoculars and a field guide that helps identifies the bird.
The birds of this particular region are: -
Racket Tailed Drongo
Black Headed Oriole
Paradise Flycatcher
Whistling Thrust
Emerald Dove
Green Pigeon
Tickell's Flower Pecker
Rufus Wood Pecker
Rose Ringed Parakeet
Black Eagle
Great Indian Malabar Pied Horn Bill
Fiary Blue Bird
Green Billed Malkhoha
Getting Started: The best way to start bird watching is to go with someone who has been birding for a while in Indira Gandhi Sanctuary. You will find many local birding clubs. Many good bookshops in Tamil Nadu have a selection of books, magazines and tapes on bird watching. A person will identify common local species using their field guide.
Choosing a Bird Guide:
The guide includes information about habitats and maps showing range of different birds found in Tamil Nadu and where and when they migrate and what their song or call sounds like. The better guides show seasonal color changes, similar appearing species, and provide information on how to tell them apart. The guides also give information about the various birding sites in Indira Gandhi Sanctuary.
Range Maps shows areas in Indira Gandhi Sanctuary or Tamil Nadu, inhabited by a particular bird. This is helpful in eliminating similar appearing species. Range maps also tell when the species are in the area. Some birds are year round residents in this sanctuary, some are found only in the summer or winter, some pass though during migration to other parts of Tamil Nadu or India or maybe even overseas. Through the use of different symbols and colors, range maps can tell a the visitor about these things
Precautions to take in mind while bird watching in Indira Gandhi Sanctuary
- Avoid harassing the birds.
- Do not handle eggs or hang too long near the nests.
- Don't attract birds unless very necessary for some research.
- Follow all rules of Indira Gandhi Sanctuary and wildlife sanctuaries.
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