Top Birding Hot Spots in Pakistan
North Western Frontier Province (N.W.F.P)
Updated: 05/20/2006
Information by Birdwatcher's Club of
Pakistan (BCP)
The North Western Frontier Province lies in the North West of Pakistan
sharing
international borders with Afghanistan. It is
characterized by an avi-fauna of mostly
Paleartic distribution. Yet, it is home to some of Pakistan's oriental
near endemics.
The N.W.F Province is a large province. It has a varied landscape and is
home to two
National Parks, Ayubia National Park in the Murree Hill Range and
Chitral Gol National Park in district Chitral on the border with
Afghanistan. Towards the North of N.W.F Province, lie the Himalayas, and
towards its West lie the mighty Hindu Kush Range. In the South lie the
Waziristan Hill Ranges as well as some portion of the Mighty Suleiman
Range.
The N.W.F Province is home to many of Pakistan's specialty species. The
Ayubia
National Park houses more than a dozen species that are near endemics to
Pakistan. This list is exclusive of some other special birds like
Koklass Pheasants, Kalij Pheasants, Common Wood Pigeons, Wedge tailed
Green Pigeons and Northern Goshawks. A little further to the North lies
the magnificent Palas Valley, home to more than 8 west Himalayan
endemics.
The Palas Valley is world famous for its Western Tragopans and Himalayan
Monals. More importantly, Palas Valley houses the largest concentration
worldwide of Western Tragopans together, as it is home to over 350 pairs
of this very rare bird.
Infact, the only known pictures of the Western Tragopan in the wild come
from Palas Valley!
More specialities that can be seen in N.W.F Province include Black
headed Jay and
White cheeked Tit. Some other rarer specialities that occur here include
Painted Sandgrouse, Rufous vented Prinia and White tailed Stone Chat. In
Dera Ismail khan birds like the Common Raven, Rook and rarer waders like
Whimbrels can be seen on migration. Moreover, the Kabul river supports a
number of waterfowl species, as also the Bannu valley receives a large
number of Demoiselle Cranes during peak migration season. The hills of
Waziristan are home to Seesee partridges, Chukars as well the near
Endemic mecranensis ssp. of Grey Francolin.
Last but not the least is the fact that the Central valleys of N.W.F
Province have
in the past received many rare birds like Great Bustard and Little
Bustard. Infact, in the past Little Bustards used to be residents in the
Province. It is hoped that they keep surviving in this part of the
world, and beautify our country.
You can get more information about these places by contacting us at our
e-mail
[email protected].
Please choose a birding site below:
a. Abbotabad
b. Dera Ismail Khan
c. Pallas Valley
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