Okhla Bird Sanctuary By Abhijit Menon-Sen <ams@toroid.org> September 24, 2007 Directions One way to get to the Sanctuary is to go straight down NH2 (Mathura road) from Ashram chowk, and turn left under the flyover just after passing Apollo Hospital to the left. Keep going straight on, turn right at the end of the road, then turn left onto the Okhla Barrage. The Sanctuary gates are to your left shortly afterwards. The other route is to go through NOIDA, but due to ongoing construction, many of the exits off the main road may now be blocked. Thus the former route via the Barrage is to be preferred. See this map for an overview of the area. Checklist Update 2010-02-15: This checklist is no longer actively maintained, and I am not aware of an updated/maintained one. Links are welcome. Here's a brief checklist of the birds I've conclusively identified at the OBS: Black Francolin Francolinus francolinus Grey Francolin Francolinus pondicerianus Indian Peafowl Pavo cristatus Lesser Whistling-duck Dendrocygna javanica Greylag Goose Anser anser Bar-headed Goose Anser indicus Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna Comb Duck Sarkidiornis melanotos Cotton Pygmy-goose Nettapus coromandelianus Gadwall Anas strepera Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Spot-billed Duck Anas poecilorhyncha Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata Northern Pintail Anas acuta Garganey Anas querquedula Common Teal Anas crecca Common Pochard Aythya ferina Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquilla Black-rumped Flameback Dinopium benghalense Brown-headed Barbet Megalaima zeylanica Coppersmith Barbet Megalaima haemacephala Indian Grey Hornbill Ocyceros birostris Common Hoopoe Upupa epops Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis Pied Cuckoo Clamator jacobinus Common Hawk Cuckoo Hierococcyx varius Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopacea Sirkeer Malkoha Phaenicophaeus leschenaultii Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis Alexandrine Parakeet Psittacula eupatria Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri House Swift Apus affinis Barn Owl Tyto alba Spotted Owlet Athene brama Rock Pigeon Columba livia Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis Red Collared Dove Streptopelia tranquebarica Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto Yellow-footed Green Pigeon Treron phoenicoptera Brown Crake Amaurornis akool White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus Watercock Gallicrex cinerea Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Common Coot Fulica atra Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus Common Redshank Tringa totanus Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos Little Stint Calidris minuta Temminck's Stint Calidris temminckii Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea Ruff Philomachus pugnax Bronze-winged Jacana Metopidius indicus Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus Yellow-wattled Lapwing Vanellus malarbaricus River Lapwing Vanellus duvaucelii Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus White-tailed Lapwing Vanellus leucurus Yellow-legged Gull Larus cachinnans Heuglin's Gull Larus heuglini Pallas's Gull Larus ichthyaetus Brown-headed Gull Larus brunnicephalus Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus River Tern Sterna aurantia Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybridus Osprey Pandion haliaetus Oriental Honey-buzzard Pernis ptilorhyncus Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus Black Kite Milvus migrans Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus Crested Serpent Eagle Spilornis cheela Eurasian Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus Shikra Accipiter badius Common Buzzard Buteo buteo Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca Bonelli's Eagle Hieraaetus fasciatus Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Red-necked Falcon Falco chicquera Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus Darter Anhinga melanogaster Little Cormorant Phalacrocorax niger Indian Cormorant Phalacrocorax fuscicollis Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo Little Egret Egretta garzetta Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Purple Heron Ardea purpurea Great Egret Casmerodius albus Intermediate Egret Mesophoyx intermedia Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Indian Pond Heron Ardeola grayii Little Heron Butorides striatus Yellow Bittern Ixobrychus sinensis Cinnamon Bittern Ixobrychus cinnamomeus Black Bittern Dupetor flavicollis Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus Black Ibis Pseudibis papillosa Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala Asian Openbill Anastomus oscitans Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach Rufous Treepie Dendrocitta vagabunda House Crow Corvus splendens Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos Eurasian Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus Small Minivet Pericrocotus cinnamomeus Long-tailed Minivet Pericrocotus ethologus Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus Asian Paradise-flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi Common Woodshrike Tephrodornis pondicerianus Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva Verditer Flycatcher Eumyias thalassina Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis Bluethroat Luscinia svecica Oriental Magpie Robin Copsychus saularis Indian Robin Saxicoloides fulicata Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros Siberian Stonechat Saxicola torquata White-tailed Stonechat Saxicola leucurus Pied Bushchat Saxicola caprata Brown Rock-chat Cercomela fusca Brahminy Starling Sturnus pagodarum Rosy Starling Sturnus roseus Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris Asian Pied Starling Sturnus contra Common Myna Acridotheres tristis Bank Myna Acridotheres ginginianus White-crowned Penduline Tit Remiz coronatus Plain Martin Riparia paludicola Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Wire-tailed Swallow Hirundo smithii Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus cafer Graceful Prinia Prinia gracilis Yellow-bellied Prinia Prinia flaviventris Ashy Prinia Prinia socialis Plain Prinia Prinia inornata Oriental White-eye Zosterops palpebrosus Moustached Warbler Acrocephalus melanopogon Paddyfield Warbler Acrocephalus agricola Blyth's Reed Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum Clamorous Reed Warbler Acrocephalus stentoreus Booted Warbler Hippolais caligata Sykes's Warbler Hippolais rama Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius Siberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita tristis Sulphur-bellied Warbler Phylloscopus griseolus Hume's Warbler Phylloscopus humei Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides Striated Grassbird Megalurus palustris Yellow-eyed Babbler Chrysomma sinense Common Babbler Turdoides caudatus Striated Babbler Turdoides earlei Large Grey Babbler Turdoides malcolmi Jungle Babbler Turdoides striatus Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca Eastern Orphean Warbler Sylvia crassirostris Indian Bushlark Mirafra erythroptera Bengal Bushlark Mirafra assamica Greater Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla Sand Lark Calandrella raytal Crested Lark Galerida cristata Oriental Skylark Alauda gulgula Purple Sunbird Nectarinia asiatica House Sparrow Passer domesticus Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis White Wagtail Motacilla alba Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava Paddyfield Pipit Anthus rufulus Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris Long-billed Pipit Anthus similis Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni Rosy Pipit Anthus roseatus Black-breasted Weaver Ploceus benghalensis Streaked Weaver Ploceus manyar Baya Weaver Ploceus philippinus Red Avadavat Amandava amandava Indian Silverbill Lonchura malabarica Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura punctulata Black-headed Munia Lonchura malacca Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus White-capped Bunting Emberiza stewarti