Bird lovers and ornithologists who have been to Bhutan have often described Bhutan as the ‘Birding Capital of the World.’ If you go by numbers, Bhutan has about 800 species of birds (local experts say the number is much more), which is said to be more than the combined number of bird species in Canada and the United States.
Bhutan also has some of the rarest and most endemic species of birds in the world. For example, the world’s rarest heron - the White-bellied Heron (Ardea insignis). It is said that there are only 200 birds in the world of which 24 birds have been confirmed to be in Bhutan. Bhutan is also the first country to have successfully incubated, hatched, and raised a White-bellied Heron chick in captivity.
The birds in Bhutan include resident birds, breeding birds that spend a good amount of time in Bhutan raising their young, and migrants who visit seasonally. The different species include waterfowl and wading birds, a large suite of songbirds, raptors, game birds, swifts and nighthawks, etc., many of which occupy several ecosystems simultaneously, as they fly to and from forests, meadows, shorelines of waters, cities and urban green spaces.
The varying vegetation of the country from the tropical climate in the south bordering India to the alpine vegetation up north, which is covered in snow throughout the year, makes it a haven for all species of birds. Bhutan has been designated as one of the world’s top 10 biodiversities ‘hotspots’.
A list of endangered birds of Bhutan is given below:
At Actual Bhutan Travel, we customize all kinds of bird-watching tours in the kingdom. We offer you experienced bird lovers to accompany you during the tour.
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