Birds of Ladakh, Birding Tours in Ladakh, Birding in Ladakh

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Birding in Ladakh

Ladakh, located on the border between the Pale-arctic and the Indo-Malayan zoogeographic regions and it hosts typical bird species from either side. In addition, characteristic Tibetan birds extend their home ranges well into eastern Ladakh. The dry summer months, again, attract a multitude of breeders and being the last of first accessible place during the spring and autumn migration, it is an important stage for aggregations of birds while crossing the lofty Himalayan range. These diverse ornithological influences make Ladakh a real melting pot of bird movement.

Ladakh is still not known as a popular birding paradise. Its vastness, remoteness, and limited accessibility, harsh geographic conditions encouraged few researchers, birders to spend sufficient time on bird studies in its hostile valleys, hills and plains.

As per reports from experts there are about 310 different bird species in Ladakh. These birds can be divided in to 4 major groups depending on their respective time of travel, stay, breed and migration:

Resident Birds

Summer Birds

Wintering Birds is the smallest group.

Migrant Birds the largest group

As it is rightly stated by Mr. Otto Pfister, the only ornothologist having authority on Birds of Ladakh, “Ladakh, like any high altitude desert in the world, has a fragile ecosystem that can be easily spoiled by unimaginative planning and uncontrolled tourism”. Hence precautions while promoting birding and wildlife tours are being taken care of by Ancient Tracks, so that the gist of the tour still remains - promotion and conservation of Wildlife while Birding in Ladakh.

National Parks, Sanctuaries and Conservation Reserves in Ladakh:

Hemis National Park / Hemis High Altitude National Park (12 50 sq. km)
Changthang Cold Desert Sanctuary (4000 sq. km)
Kangji Wildlife Sanctuary (250 sq. km)
Karakoram Sanctuary (4000 sq. km)
Tongri Sanctuary Zangskar (20 sq. Km)
Saboo Chukar Reserve (70 sq. km)
Hanle Plains / Marshes Wetland Conservation Reserve

Wildife and Birding Hotspots in Ladakh:

Hemis National Park / Rumbak Valley
Surru Valley in Kargil District
Rangdum Marshes in Zangskar
Ulley Village and Ridzong Monastery
Phey – Spituk Marshes
Shey-Thiksay Marshes
Nubra Valley – Deskit, Hundar and Panamik
Tsokar Lake Basin
Tsomoriri Lake
Puga-Sumdo Valley
Yaya Tso/ Lake
Nyom- Loma Bend Marshes
Hanle Basin
Kalak Tar Tar Plateau

Following Itineraries are customized and tailored made to cover Important Birding Areas (IBA) and maximize the chances of spotting more number rare and specific to the region on these Birding Tours to Ladakh.