Bihar’s Rajgir hills welcomes migratory birds from Europe, Central Asia

In Bihar, Rajgir hills and 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 migratory birds — has been recorded as the highest so far which is evident from the two bird surveys conducted by the Environment, Forest and Climate Change department in and around Rajgir Zoo Safari, Nature Safari, and adjoining wildlife sanctuary.

An official of the department on Tuesday (January 6, 2026) said that the first survey was conducted in February 2025 while the second one was carried out in December 2025. The surveys show that the Rajgir hill region is home to an extremely rich and diverse variety of bird species.

The official further said that a total of 109 different species of birds including 29 migratory birds were found in the first phase of survey carried out in February 2025 while the number of different species of birds rose to 135 including migratory birds the number of which increased to 33 in the second phase of survey in December 2025.

The first phase of survey found the presence of Central Asia migratory warblers’ species such as Sulphur bellied warbler, yellow-browed warbler, Tickell’s leaf warbler. Not only this, the presence of Indian vulture and griffon vulture show that Rajgir hills have become an important sanctuary for endangered species of birds.

In another survey of December 2025, the number of migratory birds increased to 33. The most important finding was the sighting of the Eurasian Sparrowhawk which was the most noteworthy.

The official asserted that 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.

Other significant winter migratory species included 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 survey.

Warbler diversity has emerged as a major highlight of this survey. 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.

This diversity indicates the high habitat heterogeneity, healthy insect availability, and relatively low levels of chemical pollution in the area.

Rajgir Zoo Safari Director Ram Sundar M. said that these findings highlight the ecological significance of the Rajgir wildlife sanctuary, which provides a safe winter refuge for both migratory and resident bird species. Safari guides are given training to identify migratory birds so that they can share better information about these birds with tourists, he added.

Continuous soil and moisture conservation initiatives undertaken by the Forest department have increased water levels in reservoirs, creating ideal habitat conditions for migratory birds, Sundar M. said.

He added that Rajgir Zoo Safari is now not only focused on mammals and large wildlife but also the chirping and melodious calls of birds further enhance the beauty of this landscape.