Wildlife & Avifauna

This is unlike in some other states in Northeast Asia, where you may still find forests – yet void of its inhabitants – it is certainly also thanks to the state's environmental consciousness and the observance of religious rules of Hinduism and Buddhism that wildlife in Sikkim today still has got habitat to thrive in is

Red panda, snow leopard, musk deer, blue sheep, Himalayan tahr, marmots, goral, barking deer, langur monkey, Himalayan black bear, different species of leopard, Tibetan wolf, giant badgers, martens and jungle cats all belong to Sikkim's rich wildlife.

Sikkim also has a rich diversity of arthropods. Many of them remain unexplored and undiscovered. Of the approximately 1,438 butterfly species of the Indian subcontinent 695 exist in Sikkim alone! And the species found here include many endangered and endemic species too.

Ornithological Trips, Birding Safaris & Bird Watching

Sikkim and surrounding regions including Northeast India are extraordinarily rich in avifauna. Birders consider this to be birdwatchers paradise. Sikkim's avian population extends to almost 550 species and the ornithological diversity of the area has been documented by ornithologist Dr. Salim Ali. As the climate varies between the tropical heat of the valleys and the alpine cold of the snowy regions Sikkim has got altitudinal zones of vegetation that range from tropical, subtropical, temperate to Alpine. This diversity in climates, altitudes and vegetations is responsible for the great variety and abundance in the resident bird life, making this area one of the richest of its size anywhere in the world.

If you are interested in a birding/bird watching trip we will plan your itinerary in accordance to your requirements, taking into consideration your physical condition, timeframe and special interest.

Ornithological Trips usually include a trekking or field trips to sanctuaries and lesser known hot spots and excellent birding sites all. Species like Maroon-Backed Accentor and Red-faced Liocichla are found in these forests and sanctuaries. Depending on the area visited you may see Himalayan Monal, Brown Parotbill, Fire-tailed Myzornis, Cutia, Sapphire flycatcher, White browned Bush Robin, Granduala Rufous, Breasted Accentors, White winged, collared Grosbeaks, Spot-winged Rosefinch, Snow Partridge, Snow Cock, Griffon Vulture, Golden Eagels, Quail, Woodcock, Babblers, Bearded Vulture, Kingfishers, Woodpeckers, Flycatchers and pheasants including the Blood Pheasant and crimson horned pheasant. Nearby a typical Bhutia-village you can combine your passion for birding with a trek to a nearby hill to see Tragopan, Kalij pheasant, rusty-bellied Shortwing, Minivet, Yuhina, flycatchers, etc.

While our standard birding tours do not include camping and trekking this is one of the best ways to see higher altitude birds. Depending on your specific interest we can organize a suitable trek for you lasting from anywhere between one day to two weeks. For an overview of our treks please go to: www.yetilaya.com.

In cooperation with local ornithological experts we take you to the best ornithological hot spots. Your journey will be planned in such a way so as to allow enough time for birding and taking pictures. Upon request and in cooperation with local experts we also organize slide shows and presentation on Ornithology as well as interaction with local ornithologists.

List of birds seen during an ornithological trip to a hot spot in North Sikkim:

Tags: Sikkim, India, wildlife, fauna, animal kingdom, species richness, ornithology, mammals, wild, native, travel