INDIA WESTERN GHATS
BIRDING TOUR

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Our birding tour to the Western Ghats Mountains of southwest India focuses on the many endemic and near-endemic birds found in this region. We'll be visiting Mudumalai Bird National Park, the Nilgiri Hills outside the town of Ooty, Rajamalai Bird Sanctuary within Eravikulam National Park, Periyar National Park, and Thattekad Bird Sanctuary during the tour. This tour is best conducted as described during the dry season from November-February. Because the Rajamalai Bird Sanctuary is closed during March and April, the tour itinerary cannot be conducted during those months.

The tour begins with arrival at the international airport in Bengalore. Following arrival, we transfer to Mudumalai Bird National Park. We'll spend most of 3 days there before driving south to Ooty for a two night stay. We'll have a full day to bird the Nilgiri Hills outside Ooty before proceeding to Munnar. While at Munnar we'll bird the higher elevation site at Rajamalai Bird Sanctuary before moving on to Periyar National Park. After devoting most of two days at Periyar, we'll drive toward Thattekad, located near Kochi, for most of two days birding the bird rich Thattekad Bird Sanctuary. The tour ends at the international airport in Kochi.

Day 1 - Meals: LD; Accommodation: Hotel near the national park; Activity: Arrive at Bengalore Airport. Transfer to Mudumalai National Park.
Day 2 - Meals: BLD; Accommodation: Hotel near the national park; Activity: All day Mudumalai National Park.
Day 3 - Meals: BLD; Accommodation: Hotel in Ooty; Activity: Morning Mudumalai National Park. Afternoon transfer to Ooty.
Day 4 - Meals: BLD; Accommodation: Hotel in Ooty; Activity: All day Nilgiri Hills near Ooty.
Day 5 - Meals: BLD; Accommodation: Hotel in Munnar; Activity: Morning transfer to Munnar. Rest of day birding outside Munnar.
Day 6 - Meals: BLD; Accommodation: Hotel in Munnar; Activity: All day Rajamalai Wildlife Sanctuary in Eravikulam National Park.
Day 7 - Meals: BLD; Accommodation: Hotel near the park; Activity: Morning transfer to Periyar National Park. Rest of day there.
Day 8 - Meals: BLD; Accommodation: Hotel near the park; Activity: All day Periyar National Park.
Day 9 - Meals: BLD; Accommodation: Hotel in Thattekad; Activity: Morning transfer to Cardamom Hills and Thattekad Bird Sanctuary. Rest of day there.
Day 10 - Meals: BLD; Accommodation: Hotel in Thattekad; Activity: All day Thattekad Bird Sanctuary.
Day 11 - Meals: BL; Accommodation: None; Activity: Morning at Thattekad Bird Sanctuary as time permits. Transfer to international airport in Kochi. End of tour at the airport.

During our Western Ghats birding tour, we'll be staying in comfortable hotels and lodges throughout the tour.

PACE - Moderate.

DIFFICULTY - Birding is mostly along flat trails or slightly inlined roads. The highest altitude reached during the tour is about 2650m (8700ft).

CLIMATE - India has 4 main seasons. December-February is cool and mostly dry. March to May is hot and dry. June to September is monsoon season with heavy rains and flooding. Ocotober-November is a transitional period with rain mostly in the south. Higher elevations reached on this tour can be quite cool, especially at night and in early mornings.

BIRD ACTIVITY - Peak nesting season is shortly before the monsoons from February through May. Birds are most active during these months. Some migrants that breed farther north such as the Indian Pitta are only present from June-September. Palearctic migrants are present mainly from October through January.

PHOTOGRAPHY - Photography is opportunistic and can be difficult in forested areas visited on this tour.

Opportunities for photography are excellent, especially during the first half of the tour during safaris in national parks. Getting photos of tigers is very feasible when tigers are congregating around permanent water but is unlikely early in dry season and during wetter months.

DAY 1 - ARRIVAL & MUDUMALAI NATIONAL PARK

We arrive at theinternational airport in Bengalore in the morning and drive west to Mudumalai National Park. The transfer from Bengaluru airport takes about 5 hours. Night at a hotel near the national park.

DAY 2 - MUDUMALAI NATIONAL PARK

Much of Mudumalai National Park lies in the rain shadow of the Western Ghats Mountains, so the habitat is dry deciduous forest and thorn scrub. Like other tiger reserves, the park has restricted access, so we'll be birding nearby areas outside the park much of the time. Key endemics we're seeking in the area are Malabar Woodshrike, Malabar Lark, and Gray-headed Bulbul. This area offers our best chance of seeing Indian Pitta. Nearly a dozen species of woodpeckers have been recorded in the area including Heart-spotted Woodpecker, Yellow-crowned Woodpecker, Streak-throated Woodpecker, and White-naped Woodpecker. Other birds we may encounter include Red Spurfowl, Painted Spurfowl, Sirkeer Malkoha, Blue-faced Malkoha, Crested Treeswift, Crested Serpent-Eagle, Blue-bearded Bee-eater, White-cheeked Barbet, Plum-headed Parakeet, Black-headed Cuckooshrike, White-browed Fantail, White-bellied Drongo, Bay-backed Shrike, White-browed Bulbul, Brown-cheeked Fulvetta, Indian Nuthatch, Nilgiri Thrush, Tickell's Blue Flycatcher, Malabar Whistling-Thrush, Pale-billed Flowerpecker, Nilgiri Flowerpecker, Purple-rumped Sunbird, Purple Sunbird, and Jerdon's Leafbird. Night at a hotel near the national park.

DAY 3 - MUDUMALAI NATIONAL PARK & OOTY

Morning birding the area near the national park looking for species missed the preceding day. Mid afternoon we'll depart for the 2-hour drive to the former colonial hill town of Ooty. Night at a hotel in Ooty.

DAY 4 - NILGIRI HILLS

The area around Ooty in the Nilgiri Hills is among the highest points in the Western Ghats. The area is heavily agricultural with only remnant patches of stunted temperate forest, called shola, remaining. This habitat is home to several important endemics, Nilgiri Wood-Pigeon, Nilgiri Laughingthrush, Nilgiri Thrush, Nilgiri Sholakili, and Nilgiri Flycatcher. Other enticing birds in the area include Gray Junglefowl, Painted Bush-Quail, Spot-breasted Fantail, Southern Hill Myna, Indian Blackbird, Black-and-orange Flycatcher, Rusty-tailed Flycatcher, and Blue-capped Rock-Thrush. We may also encounter the striking Nilgiri Langur. Night at a hotel in Ooty.

DAY 5 - MUNNAR

This day we have a long 6½ drive south beyond the textile city of Coimbatore to Munnar. This picturesque site is dominated by tea plantations but still has some patches of native woodland and gullies. We may time for birding around town after arrival. Night at a hotel in Munnar.

DAY 6 - RAJAMALAI WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

We'll be birding this day around Rajamalai Wildlife Sanctuary, part of Eravikulam National Park. This scenic, higher altitude site is closed during February and March, which affects when we can offer this itinerary. There, we will seek out Painted Bush-Quail, Alpine Swift, Blyth's Swift, Hill Swallow, and Malabar Whistling-Thrush. In addition, the grasslands and shola in the upland plateaus are home to Broad-tailed Grassbird, Palani Laughingthrush, White-bellied Blue Flycatcher, Black-and-orange Flycatcher, and Nilgiri Pipit. Other birds we could encounter include Alpine Swift, Black Eagle, Bonelli's Eagle, Hill Swallow, Western Crowned Warbler, and Blue Rock-Thrush. We could also encounter the endemic Nilgiri Marten, and it's one of the only places where the rare and Nilgiri Tahr can be seen. Night at a hotel in Munnar.

DAY 7 - TRANSFER & PERIYAR NATIONAL PARK

Depart early for Periyar, stopping enroute around Bodinayakanur to look for the localized endemic Yellow-throated Bulbul. Periyar is the southernmost extent of our tour and is home to many specialty birds. We'll arrive by mid day. Afternoon birding the forests and grasslands surrounding the Periyar reservoir. Night at a hotel in Periyar.

DAY 8 - PERIYAR NATIONAL PARK

All day birding the extensive forests in Periyar National Park. We'll concentrate on finding the many endemic and near-endemic species in the park. These include Jerdon's Nightjar, Indian Swiftlet, Malabar Trogon, Malabar Gray Hornbill, Malabar Barbet, Malabar Flameback, Malabar Parakeet, Malabar Woodshrike, White-bellied Treepie, Yellow-browed Bulbul, Dark-fronted Babbler, Rufous Babbler, Wayanad Laughingthrush, Malabar Starling, White-bellied Sholakili, Malabar Whistling-Thrush, Loten's Sunbird, and Black-throated Munia. Other birds we hope to see include Red Spurfowl, White-rumped Spinetail, Black Baza, Changeable Hawk-Eagle, Great Hornbill, Heart-spotted Woodpecker, Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpecker, White-bellied Woodpecker, Indian Pitta, Indian Golden Oriole, Black-naped Monarch, Indian Paradise-Flycatcher, Gray-breasted Prinia, and Puff-throated Babbler. We should also see mammals such as Asian Elephant, Nilgiri Langur, Wild Boar, Chital, Sambar, and Gaur. Night at a hotel in Periyar.

DAY 9 - TRANSFER & THATTEKAD BIRD SANCTUARY

Morning drive to Thattekad Bird Sanctuary, located at the base of the Cardamon Hills. It's about a 3 hour drive. After arrival, we'll have the afternoon to begin birding this site. Night at a hotel in Thattekad.

DAY 10 - THATTEKAD BIRD SANCTUARY

The lowland rainforest in Thattekad Bird Sanctuary if the richest bird habitat in peninsular India. Most of the endemics of the Western Ghats except those found only at higher altitudes occur in this sanctuary. We have all day to seek them out. Our target species include Malabar Gray Hornbill, Malabar Barbet, Malabar Parakeet, White-bellied Treepie, Yellow-browed Bulbul, Gray-headed Bulbul, Flame-throated Bulbul, White-bellied Sholakili, Crimson-backed Sunbird, Asian Fairy-bluebird, and Black-throated Munia. We hope to find the near-endemic Sri Lanka Frogmouth and perhaps also the rare Sri Lanka Bay-Owl in day roosts. Other nocturnal birds we could find with some night birding are Great Eared-Nightjar, Jungle Nightjar, Jerdon's Nightjar, Indian Nightjar, Savanna Nightjar, Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl, and Mottled Wood-Owl. Night at a hotel in Thattekad.

DAY 11 - THATTEKAD BIRD SANCTUARY, TRANSFER, END OF TOUR

Morning birding in the Thattekad Bird Sanctuary as time permits. Depart for nearby Kochi for departure home. Tour ends at the international airport in Kochi.

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