Imagine, if you can, a bird whose call has driven men to suicide, or one that imprisons its mate in a tree during the mating season. Or how about a bird that does somersaults in the air or another that dazzles the eye with a plumage nine different colours? Almost too fantastic to be true, but these are just a few of the over eight hundred species of birds found in Nepal. Moreover , the above examples are not just rare exceptions, in fact, birds of colourfull plumage, strange shapes and odd habits abound in this little country.From a bird's point of view, Nepal is the perfect home. Located at the junction of the Asian continent and the South Asian subcontinent, and with a range of altitude unique in the world, Nepal contains a vast variety of byoclimatic zones-from the sob tropical of the southern Terai belt right up to the arctic summits of the Himalaya, only 170 Kilometer away. One bird watcher remarked that nowhere else in the world can you view birds at 20,000 feet and still be on the ground.

To watch birds in Nepal, the only essential item required is a pair of binoculars. If you don't have your own you can hire a pair for any major photography shop in Kathmandu. Taking along a good bird book among the best ones will also help in identifying those rare species and those many look-alike birds. These books are available at most bookstores in Kathamandu. Kathmandu Valley along has over 400 species of birds, so you do not need to venture far on your first few trips. The south east Kathamandu valley Rim provides the most variety in altitude, vegetation and consequently birds. Starting at the Godhawari botanical gardens (1520M) and slowly walking up to the summit of Phulchowki hill (2770M), you can expect to see upwards of one hundred species in a day. Along the way, keep an eye out for several rare birds such as the yellow-throated Minivet, Tibetan Siskin and Mrs Gould's Sunbirds.

For sub-tropical birds, the best place is Royal Chitwan National park, located in Nepal's Southern Terai belt. A stay at any of the resort hotels for a few days will result in a respectable list of sightings, not to mention sightings of Rhinos , Crocodiles and Deer. The major Resort Hotels have qualified naturalists who know where to find what birds at which times of day.
Some of naturalists know hundreds of birds by sight and are an invaluable resource. At Chitwan you will find three of the strange birds: The acrobatic Blue Indian Roller, Three species of Hornbills which plaster their mates and young inside a hollow tree, and the infamous Common Hawk Cuckoo or "Brain fever bird".

If you have time for a longer stay in the Terai , visit the Koshi Tappu Wild Life Reserve in east Nepal. Located on the banks of the Koshi river and dotted with ponds, this reserve is the bast in the country for water birds. During the spring migration , upto 19 species of Ducks and many species of Storks and Cranes can be seen there.

Bird watching in the hilly region naturally requires more time and effort, but is just as rewarding. The region around Pokhara is very good for birding, in addition to having some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. One can view water birds at the several lakes around Pokhara and follow their migration route up to Kali Gandaki river valley. Beyond the village of Jomsom high on the route around the Annapurna Massif, one can see several birds typical of the Tibetan pletau, such as the Tibetan Snow Finch and the Tibetan Pattridge. A spectacular sights in this region is the large Lammergeier, with a wing span upto 9 feet. The far western region of Nepal, including lake Rara and Shey-Phoksundo National Parks, are dry and excellent for summer trekking and have been little explored-so if you are interested in making some new discoveries, these would be good places to go.

For high altitude birds such as the Tibetan Snow Cock, a visit to the Everest region in Sagarmatha National park is worthwhile. Several days should be spent around the monastery at Thyangboche, that has been reconstructed after a fire in 1989. Due to the strict prohibition on hunting in the area, the birds are quite tame, and one can often get quite close to a flock of Inpeyan Phesants, Nepal's national bird. There is not much bird life above 5000m, although climbers on Everest and Dhaulagiri have several times witnessed birds flying over spurs on the mountains at 7500 meters.A two week stay in Nepal, combining trips to various areas surrounding Kathmandu and Chitwan should produce a least of three to four hundred birds. As bird watching in Nepal is a fairly recent pastime, new species and information about known species are constantly turning up. So who knows, you might even be able to discover a new , rare species and have it named in your honor. Rare species or not, bird watching in Nepal one of the country's best adventures and is sure to give you plenty of exercise and take you to some fascinating places. Happy birding!!!