23-06-2025
Monsoon bird watching season draws enthusiasts to Garbhanga
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Guwahati: Bird enthusiasts and locals near Garbhanga Reserve Forest, on the outskirts of Guwahati, have launched an initiative to promote monsoon birding.
While winter birding is common in Assam when migratory birds visit water bodies, monsoon birding holds significant potential to draw enthusiasts to natural locations around Guwahati.
Despite substantial rain in Guwahati and surrounding areas, numerous young birders visited Garbhanga Reserve Forest, accompanied by experienced birders and photographers. With national parks and wildlife sanctuaries closed during the rainy season, organisers suggest monsoon birding could present fresh opportunities for nature enthusiasts and boost tourism.
"Bird watching during the monsoon in India offers a unique and vibrant experience as the rain bring many bird species to light, especially during their breeding season.
Many birds are more active and visible during the monsoon, displaying bright breeding plumage and engaging in vocalisations and courtship displays," said a well-known birder Jyotirmay Baishya.
Specialists note that numerous summer migrant birds relocate at the monsoon's onset. Prime Indian monsoon birding locations include Thattekad and Munnar in Kerala, and Saswad in Maharashtra.
The pied cuckoo, partially migratory and resident in southern India, signals the monsoon's arrival in north India.
This mythologically significant bird arrives in Garbhanga and nearby areas during the late monsoon, Baishya said.
Baishya added that Assam's national parks offer excellent monsoon bird watching. However, with most parks closed due to flooding, woodland reserves like Garbhanga and Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary become prime birding locations.
