Birds & Mammals of Coastal Gujarat, Gir & Velavadar
The Gujarat coast is one of the richest areas for wintering waterbirds in India and we start in Jamnagar where sites such as Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary will show us thousands of flamingos and hopefully large flocks of one of our main targets here, Crab Plover.
Gir National Park is the only site remaining in India for the Asiatic Lion. The local population is currently doing well with an estimated 600 lions, and we also have a reasonable chance of seeing a Leopard. Birds include Mottled Wood Owl, Brown Fish Owl, Painted Sandgrouse, Indian Pitta, Red-headed Vulture, and Barred Buttonquail.
Velavadar National Park protects a large remaining area of grassland, a habitat very much threatened elsewhere, with a spectacular evening harrier roost. It is famous for its Blackbucks, Wolf and Striped Hyena. Birds include Common Crane, Dalmatian Pelican, Eastern Imperial Eagle, and Painted Francolin, as well as the rare Stoliczka’s Bushchat.
Target Species
- Red-necked Falcon
- Sirkeer Malkoha
- Greater Short-toed Lark
- Dalmatian Pelican
- White-browed Bush Chat
- Brown Crake
- Painted Sandgrouse
- Common Crane
- Striolated Bunting
- Merlin
- Eastern Imperial Eagle
- Lesser Flamingo
- Rufous-tailed Lark
- Rufous-fronted Prinia
- Black-necked Stork
- Sociable Lapwing
- Sykes’s Lark
- Montagu’s Harrier
- Short-eared Owl
- Jungle Prinia …