Indian Pittas to Paradise Flycatchers: Rare summer migratory birds flock to Aravalis

Time of India

20-05-2025

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Gurgaon:
Indian Pitta
, Indian Golden Oriole, Indian
Paradise Flycatcher
, Blue-tailed Bee-eater, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Common Cuckoo — the birding fraternity is spoilt for choice.
Summer migratory birds
are filling the woods with their songs and bright colours.
Bird watchers are reporting sightings of several species since it is that time of the year when flocks of summer migratory birds visit Mangar, Bhondsi, Aravali Biodiversity Park, Chandu and Budhera fields.
While a few of these birds soon make their way further north, some choose to stay in the Aravalis to breed. According to experts, birds travel to the Aravalis during this season every year as the region still has a comfortable space and an abundance of food for these winged creatures.
Pankaj Gupta, a birder from Delhi Bird Society, says, "The summer migrant birds are finally here. They get an ideal atmosphere in the Aravalis to stay in summer. Although several species arrived, many are yet to come. The summer migrants which are yet to arrive are Pied Cuckoo, Black-headed Cuckooshrike, Bitterns, Watercock and others."
"Several resident birds — Indian Bush Lark, Bonelli's Eagle, Grey-breasted Prinia, Jungle Prinia, Rufous-fronted Prinia and Common Kingfisher — are also spotted," Pankaj said.
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He said several birds will soon start breeding as the region has sufficient food availability for the birds. "Several birds fly to this part for summer to breed as there are enough food sources. Thus, these landscapes of the region should be conserved," Gupta said.
These summer migrants return to these patches every year because old native trees like peepal, dhau and palash in the forests of Mangar, Chandu, Basai, Bhodsi and Bundhera create an ideal habitat for them.
"These are special places because the birds return year after year," conservationist Sunil Harsana said.
Other than Indian Pitta, bird enthusiasts also throng the local birding sites to see the bee-eater, another summer visitor to NCR. According to birders, the leopard trail and Sakatpur are the best places to find a Blue-tailed Bee-eater. Pheasant-tailed Jacana can be spotted in Chandu and Basai. Common Cuckoo can be spotted in Mangar and Bhondsi.
The Blue-tailed Bee-eater is an easy catch in Mangar. Then, there is the Paradise Flycatcher which prefers to nest in the forested area of the Aravalis.
The Aravali Forest and Sultanpur National Park are some of the best places to spot this beauty, experts said.
On the other hand, resident birds are busy securing a breeding place and gathering nesting material. The latter is a significant function of this season for birds.
It is not surprising that an almost limitless variety of materials, including stones and mud, animal and plant products and human-made artefacts, have at one time or another been incorporated into nests. The birds that are already breeding are lapwing, lark and pipit.