Sultanpur National Park

Sultanpur is a nice place to go bird watching.

The Park is open from 0630 to 1800 from April 1 to September 30 (it closes at 1630 during "winter", from October 1 to March 31). You might have some trouble getting in at 0630 (you can always sneak in through the Rosy Pelican (the next gate to the left), but I didn't tell you that).

The entrance fee (in INR) is: 5 for an Indian and 40 for a foreigner. Parking fees: 2 for a bicycle, 5 for other two-wheelers, 10 for a car, and 50 for a heavy vehicle. You pay 25 to take a still camera inside, and 500 for a video camera (but if your equipment is imposing enough to look "professional", you get to pay 5000 instead, perhaps with a 2500 license for business use).

If you're tempted to round off a pleasant morning with breakfast at the Rosy Pelican, the Aloo-ke-Paranthe are nice; but be prepared for their legendary incompetence. Going hungry might well be preferable.

Directions

It's easy to find Sultanpur, but the road is awful. Be prepared for an unending series of speed-breakers that will scrape the bottom of your car as you go over them, and potholes that expose the Earth's mantle. (Note: don't miss the updates below.)

  1. Go down NH8 towards Jaipur. You will first cross the Gurgaon border, then (much later) a roundabout with Signature Towers to your left (it's a huge green-glass building), then IBM and USHA (also to the left). Go straight on past the Sohna/Jaipur/Gurgaon sign.
  2. Turn right at Hero Honda chowk, the next big traffic light.
  3. The road goes on past a small crossing, then curves left. Shortly afterwards, there is another crossroads with a Police signpost to the right. Turn left here. (You are now on the Basai road.)
  4. Keep going. The road curves right, then back again, followed by a railway crossing (the dirt track to Basai is to the right immediately after you cross), and the HUDA water treatment plant to the left. You are now 8km from Sultanpur.
  5. The road curves left (Om Indu Charitable hospital is to the right) and reaches a toll booth (private vehicles don't need to stop here). A short while later, a big green overhead sign announces a fork. Go left towards Farrukhnagar and Jhajjar (the other road goes to Bahadurgarh).
  6. About 3km later, you will see the Police post at Sadhrana to your right. Keep going straight, and you will see the Park entrance (it's right on the main road) to your left.

Update (2007-12-15): The route mentioned above (specifically, the entrance to the Basai road) is closed indefinitely because a flyover is being constructed near the railway crossing. Here's an alternate route, which replaces everything from step 3 onwards in the description above.

  1. (Same as above.)
  2. (Same as above.)
  3. You will reach a small crossing, just after some multi-storeyed buildings to your right and, if you can see it, a sign board for the Rosy Pelican resort at Sultanpur. Turn left here. (You are now on the Pataudi Road.)
  4. Go straight on (for about six kilometres), with due caution for the extremely high speed breakers. Pass a small village with an idol-studded temple to your right, and keep going.
  5. You will come to a very large Basmati rice factory on your right (big factory buildings; you can't miss them). Turn right immediately after the factory (there's another Rosy "Pelicon" sign board to the left here).
  6. Go straight on this (smaller) road. You will pass the railway crossing at Garhi village. Keep going straight (ignoring the right turn after the village).
  7. This narrow road goes through farmland for some time, and emerges at a (very small) crossing on the road just before the Sadhrana Police post mentioned above. There is a white monument to your right at this point. Turn left onto the larger road here.
  8. Go straight on, pass the Police post, and proceed to the Sultanpur gate.

Update (2008-02-13): The right turn from Hero Honda chowk (2 above) has now been closed. There are two alternatives:

  1. Go straight for another 5km and take a U-turn just before the toll plaza, then come back to Hero Honda chowk and turn left, or
  2. Turn right under the flyover at Rajeev chowk (exit 10) and take the left arm of the fork (which appears immediately after the turn). Go straight down this road until you see a green mosque to your left. Turn left after this, and then take the right hand fork. If you continue straight on (the road is reportedly very bad), you'll reach the (now closed) Basai road, where you have to turn left and then continue on until you can turn onto the Pataudi road.
  3. You can also turn left before the mosque and turn left again to enter a service lane that runs parallel to NH8 until Hero Honda chowk, but the last part of this road has been made one-way, so I do not recommend this.

(Thanks to Ravi for this update.)

Checklist

Here's a brief checklist of the birds I've conclusively identified in Sultanpur:

  1. Black Francolin Francolinus francolinus
  2. Grey Francolin Francolinus pondicerianus
  3. Barred Buttonquail Turnix suscitator
  4. Indian Peafowl Pavo cristatus
  5. Lesser Whistling-duck Dendrocygna javanica
  6. Greylag Goose Anser anser
  7. Bar-headed Goose Anser indicus
  8. Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea
  9. Comb Duck Sarkidiornis melanotos
  10. Cotton Pygmy-goose Nettapus coromandelianus
  11. Gadwall Anas strepera
  12. Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope
  13. Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
  14. Spot-billed Duck Anas poecilorhyncha
  15. Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata
  16. Northern Pintail Anas acuta
  17. Garganey Anas querquedula
  18. Common Teal Anas crecca
  19. Common Pochard Aythya ferina
  20. Ferruginous Pochard Aythya nyroca
  21. Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula
  22. Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquilla
  23. Yellow-crowned Woodpecker Dendrocopos mahrattensis
  24. Black-rumped Flameback Dinopium benghalense
  25. Brown-headed Barbet Megalaima zeylanica
  26. Coppersmith Barbet Megalaima haemacephala
  27. Indian Grey Hornbill Ocyceros birostris
  28. Common Hoopoe Upupa epops
  29. European Roller Coracias garrulus
  30. Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis
  31. Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis
  32. White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis
  33. Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis
  34. Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis
  35. Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops persicus
  36. Blue-tailed Bee-eater Merops philippinus
  37. Pied Cuckoo Clamator jacobinus
  38. Common Hawk Cuckoo Hierococcyx varius
  39. Eurasian Cuckoo Cuculus canorus
  40. Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopacea
  41. Sirkeer Malkoha Phaenicophaeus leschenaultii
  42. Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis
  43. Alexandrine Parakeet Psittacula eupatria
  44. Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri
  45. Plum-headed Parakeet Psittacula cyanocephala
  46. House Swift Apus affinis
  47. Barn Owl Tyto alba
  48. Collared Scops Owl Otus bakkamoena
  49. Spotted Owlet Athene brama
  50. Rock Pigeon Columba livia
  51. Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis
  52. Red Collared Dove Streptopelia tranquebarica
  53. Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto
  54. Yellow-footed Green Pigeon Treron phoenicoptera
  55. Sarus Crane Grus antigone
  56. Common Crane Grus grus
  57. White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus
  58. Baillon's Crake Porzana pusilla
  59. Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio
  60. Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
  61. Common Coot Fulica atra
  62. Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles exustus
  63. Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago
  64. Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa
  65. Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata
  66. Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus
  67. Common Redshank Tringa totanus
  68. Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis
  69. Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia
  70. Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus
  71. Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola
  72. Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
  73. Little Stint Calidris minuta
  74. Temminck's Stint Calidris temminckii
  75. Ruff Philomachus pugnax
  76. Bronze-winged Jacana Metopidius indicus
  77. Eurasian Thick-knee Burhinus oedicnemus
  78. Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus
  79. Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta
  80. Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius
  81. Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus
  82. Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus
  83. Yellow-wattled Lapwing Vanellus malarbaricus
  84. Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus
  85. White-tailed Lapwing Vanellus leucurus
  86. Indian Courser Cursorius coromandelicus
  87. Small Pratincole Glareola lactea
  88. Pallas's Gull Larus ichthyaetus
  89. Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus
  90. River Tern Sterna aurantia
  91. Osprey Pandion haliaetus
  92. Oriental Honey-buzzard Pernis ptilorhyncus
  93. Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus
  94. Black Kite Milvus migrans
  95. White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla
  96. Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus
  97. Short-toed Snake Eagle Circaetus gallicus
  98. Crested Serpent Eagle Spilornis cheela
  99. Eurasian Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus
  100. Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus
  101. Shikra Accipiter badius
  102. Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus
  103. White-eyed Buzzard Butastur teesa
  104. Common Buzzard Buteo buteo
  105. Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus
  106. Indian Spotted Eagle Aquila hastata
  107. Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga
  108. Tawny Eagle Aquila rapax
  109. Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis
  110. Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca
  111. Bonelli's Eagle Hieraaetus fasciatus
  112. Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus
  113. Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
  114. Red-necked Falcon Falco chicquera
  115. Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
  116. Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis
  117. Darter Anhinga melanogaster
  118. Little Cormorant Phalacrocorax niger
  119. Indian Cormorant Phalacrocorax fuscicollis
  120. Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
  121. Little Egret Egretta garzetta
  122. Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
  123. Purple Heron Ardea purpurea
  124. Great Egret Casmerodius albus
  125. Intermediate Egret Mesophoyx intermedia
  126. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
  127. Indian Pond Heron Ardeola grayii
  128. Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax
  129. Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus
  130. Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus
  131. Black Ibis Pseudibis papillosa
  132. Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia
  133. Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala
  134. Asian Openbill Anastomus oscitans
  135. Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus
  136. Black-necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus
  137. Rufous-tailed Shrike Lanius isabellinus
  138. Bay-backed Shrike Lanius vittatus
  139. Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach
  140. Southern Grey Shrike Lanius meridionalis
  141. Rufous Treepie Dendrocitta vagabunda
  142. House Crow Corvus splendens
  143. Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos
  144. Eurasian Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus
  145. Small Minivet Pericrocotus cinnamomeus
  146. Long-tailed Minivet Pericrocotus ethologus
  147. Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus
  148. Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus
  149. Asian Paradise-flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi
  150. Common Woodshrike Tephrodornis pondicerianus
  151. Orange-headed Thrush Zoothera citrina
  152. Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva
  153. Red-throated Flycatcher Ficedula albicilla
  154. Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis
  155. Verditer Flycatcher Eumyias thalassina
  156. Bluethroat Luscinia svecica
  157. Oriental Magpie Robin Copsychus saularis
  158. Indian Robin Saxicoloides fulicata
  159. Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros
  160. Siberian Stonechat Saxicola torquata
  161. Pied Bushchat Saxicola caprata
  162. Variable Wheatear Oenanthe picata
  163. Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti
  164. Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina
  165. Brown Rock-chat Cercomela fusca
  166. Brahminy Starling Sturnus pagodarum
  167. Rosy Starling Sturnus roseus
  168. Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris
  169. Asian Pied Starling Sturnus contra
  170. Common Myna Acridotheres tristis
  171. Bank Myna Acridotheres ginginianus
  172. Plain Martin Riparia paludicola
  173. Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
  174. Wire-tailed Swallow Hirundo smithii
  175. Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica
  176. Streak-throated Swallow Hirundo fluvicola
  177. Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus cafer
  178. Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis
  179. Graceful Prinia Prinia gracilis
  180. Ashy Prinia Prinia socialis
  181. Plain Prinia Prinia inornata
  182. Oriental White-eye Zosterops palpebrosus
  183. Grasshopper Warbler Locustella naevia
  184. Moustached Warbler Acrocephalus melanopogon
  185. Paddyfield Warbler Acrocephalus agricola
  186. Blyth's Reed Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum
  187. Clamorous Reed Warbler Acrocephalus stentoreus
  188. Booted Warbler Hippolais caligata
  189. Sykes's Warbler Hippolais rama
  190. Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius
  191. Siberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita tristis
  192. Tickell's Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus affinis
  193. Sulphur-bellied Warbler Phylloscopus griseolus
  194. Brooks's Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus subviridis
  195. Hume's Warbler Phylloscopus humei
  196. Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides
  197. Western Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus occipitalis
  198. Whistler's Warbler Seicercus whistleri
  199. Bristled Grassbird Chaetornis striatus
  200. Yellow-eyed Babbler Chrysomma sinense
  201. Common Babbler Turdoides caudatus
  202. Large Grey Babbler Turdoides malcolmi
  203. Jungle Babbler Turdoides striatus
  204. Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca blythi
  205. Orphean Warbler Sylvia crassirostris
  206. Indian Bushlark Mirafra erythroptera
  207. Bengal Bushlark Mirafra assamica
  208. Ashy-crowned Sparrow Lark Eremopterix grisea
  209. Bimaculated Lark Melanocorypha bimaculata
  210. Greater Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla
  211. Crested Lark Galerida cristata
  212. Oriental Skylark Alauda gulgula
  213. Purple Sunbird Nectarinia asiatica
  214. House Sparrow Passer domesticus
  215. Sind Sparrow Passer pyrrhonotus
  216. Chestnut-shouldered Petronia Petronia xanthocollis
  217. White Wagtail Motacilla alba
  218. White-browed Wagtail Motacilla maderaspatensis
  219. Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola
  220. Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava
  221. Paddyfield Pipit Anthus rufulus
  222. Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris
  223. Long-billed Pipit Anthus similis
  224. Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis
  225. Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni
  226. Rosy Pipit Anthus roseatus
  227. Streaked Weaver Ploceus manyar
  228. Black-breasted Weaver Ploceus benghalensis
  229. Baya Weaver Ploceus philippinus
  230. Red Avadavat Amandava amandava
  231. Indian Silverbill Lonchura malabarica
  232. Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura punctulata
  233. Black-headed Munia Lonchura malacca
  234. Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus
  235. White-capped Bunting Emberiza stewarti
  236. Red-headed Bunting Emberiza bruniceps

This checklist was last updated on 2010-02-15.

The Delhibirds web site has a Sultanpur checklist, but it's not actively maintained, and many entries include inaccurate status details.

Abhijit Menon-Sen <ams@toroid.org>
http://toroid.org/ams/
2010-02-15