Rajgir hills emerge as major winter haven for migratory birds

Patna: Famous Rajgir hills and nearby wildlife areas are not only attracting tourists from across the country and the world but also drawing over 100 different species of birds, including migratory birds, from Europe and Central Asia.During this winter season, the number of visiting birds, especially the migratory ones, was recorded as the highest so far. This was evident from the two bird surveys conducted by the department of environment, forest and climate change (DoEFCC) in and around the Rajgir Zoo Safari, Nature Safari, and adjoining wildlife sanctuary.The first survey was conducted in Feb, while the second one was carried out in Dec 2025.

The surveys show that the Rajgir hill region is home to an extremely rich and diverse variety of bird species.“A total of 109 different species of birds, including 29 migratory birds, were found in the first survey, while the number of different species of birds rose to 135, including 33 migratory birds, in the second survey,” Ram Sundar M, director of the Rajgir Zoo Safari, told TOI on Tuesday.The first survey found the presence of Central Asia migratory warbler species such as the sulphur-bellied warbler, yellow-browed warbler, and Tickell’s leaf warbler.

“Not only this, the presence of the Indian vulture and griffon vulture shows that Rajgir hills has become an important sanctuary for endangered species of birds,” he said.“The most important finding of the second survey was the sighting of the Eurasian sparrowhawk. This bird was observed in Nalanda district for the first time, which proves that the landscape of Rajgir is connected to international migratory bird routes extending from Europe and Central Asia to the Indian subcontinent,” another DoEFCC official told TOI.Other significant winter migratory species found in the second survey were the scaly thrush, orange-headed thrush, Tickell’s thrush, Indian pitta, large hawk-cuckoo, and Siberian stonechat.In addition, important birds of prey such as the Himalayan buzzard, Bonelli’s eagle, black-winged kite, crested hawk-eagle, and crested serpent eagle, along with migratory raptors like the long-legged buzzard and Eurasian kestrel, were also recorded in the second survey.“Warbler diversity emerged as a major highlight of these surveys. A total of 11 warbler species were recorded across paddy fields, marshy wetlands, reed-covered areas, scrublands, and forest edges. These included the booted warbler, paddy field warbler, Blyth’s reed warbler, sulphur-bellied warbler, dusky warbler, yellow-browed warbler, Tickell’s leaf warbler, common chiffchaff, greenish warbler, Hume’s warbler, and clamorous reed warbler,” the dept official said.“These findings highlight the ecological significance of the Rajgir wildlife sanctuary, which provides a safe winter refuge for both migratory and resident bird species. Continuous soil and moisture conservation initiatives undertaken by the department increased water levels in reservoirs, creating ideal habitat conditions for migratory birds,” said Ram Sundar.The Rajgir Zoo Safari is now not only focused on mammals and large wildlife but also on the chirping and melodious calls of birds, which further enhance the beauty of this landscape. “The Safari guides are being trained to identify migratory birds so that they can share better information about these birds with tourists,” he said.