UNESCO World Heritage Site Nature
Keoladeo Ghana National Park
A 29-square-kilometre wetland, sculpted by hand, ruled by birds.
Journey path 01
Where the flyway lands.
A 29-square-kilometre wetland on the Central Asian flyway, sculpted by hand and ruled by wings.
The wetlands
Two sanctuaries, two rhythms.
Most birders come for Keoladeo. Stay long enough and you'll find Band Baretha — a quieter, older reserve that rewards patience with sightings the famous park rarely delivers.
A field guide in miniature
Nine species to watch for.
A starter list. The full Bharatpur checklist runs to 375+ species and is best learned in the company of a Keoladeo rickshaw-naturalist, who has spent thirty years memorising what you are seeing for the first time. For the full month-by-month seasonality grid, see the bird species calendar.
Painted Stork
Mycteria leucocephala
Large wading bird with a yellow bill and pink-tinged secondaries. Forms breeding colonies inside the park; nests are visible from main trails.
Great White Pelican
Pelecanus onocrotalus
Migratory; arrives in flocks. Spectacular synchronised cooperative fishing in the deeper pools of the central marsh.
Sarus Crane
Antigone antigone
World's tallest flying bird. Resident, often in pairs. Cultural significance in Indian wedding lore for its lifelong pair-bonding behaviour.
Demoiselle Crane
Grus virgo
Small, elegant migratory crane. Crosses the Himalayas from breeding grounds in Mongolia and northern China. Listen for the distinctive bugle call.
Oriental Darter
Anhinga melanogaster
Snake-bird. Swims with only the long neck visible above water; perches with wings spread to dry. Common around all major water bodies in the park.
White-throated Kingfisher
Halcyon smyrnensis
Brown breast, electric turquoise back, red bill. Resident; common everywhere along trails and channels.
Rose-ringed Parakeet
Psittacula krameri
Bright green parakeet with a red bill and (in males) a black-and-rose ring around the neck. Often heard before seen.
Siberian Crane
Leucogeranus leucogeranus
Critically endangered. Until the early 2000s, Keoladeo was the sole known wintering site in India. The 2024 UNESCO State of Conservation report confirmed the central-flyway population is now extinct. The park's habitat is still maintained for a possible return.
Black Bittern
Ixobrychus flavicollis
Skulking, secretive. Most reliably seen at Band Baretha Wildlife Reserve. Patience is the only field technique that works.
When to come
The birding calendar.
Bharatpur is rewarding year-round, but the migratory peak is November to February. Resident species — the Sarus Crane, the Oriental Darter, the kingfishers — are present in every season.
Nov–Feb
Migratory peak
Storks, pelicans, demoiselle cranes, raptors. Cool, dry weather.
Mar–Apr
Tail of winter
Migrants depart. Warming days; light traffic on trails.
May–Jun
Hot dry season
High temperatures; resident species only. Best visited at dawn.
Jul–Sep
Monsoon
Park can be partially closed due to flooding; nesting colonies form.
Oct
Pre-migration
Cooling weather; first arrivals begin to trickle in.