Features: Top Birding Hot Spots in Pakistan-Punjab (Potohar Plateau)

Conserving Birds in Pakistan and Beyond



Top Birding Hot Spots in Pakistan - Punjab Potohar Plateau Updated: 01/02/2006 By BCP member Muhammad Saad N Qaisrani The Potohar Plateau region constitutes a small portion of the Salt Range. It constitutes the area from the outskirts of Rawalpindi to Kharian. This area comprises of beautiful hills and canyons that are generally shrub covered. Tree cover in the region is scarce at some places, however at other sites it is quite dense, rendering the sceneries very beautiful. Some places worth visiting here include the hill tracts of Dina and Taraqi, and the grasslands of Sara-i-Alamgir. The hill tracts of Dina are home to the easternmost populations of Painted Sandgrouse in Pakistan. The grasslands of Sara-i-Alamgir are home to a variety of birds, including specialties and rarities like Black breasted Weaver and Ruddy Crake. River Jhelum that flows through the heart of the Plateau is a great place to see waterfowl. The soil is very fertile. As a result, in the areas where tree cover is scarce, tall grass grows every year during the rainy seasons. As such, it is a paradise for those who love to see Gamebirds. It is also home to the endemic sub-specie of Urial, namely Punjab Urial. The terrain is beautifully exhilarating. The Pothar Plateau is only the 2nd region in Pakistan where as many as 6 Gallifromes species co-exist with each other. They are the Grey and Black Francolins, Chukar, Seesee Partridge, Common Quail and Rain Quail. It is the only place inside Punjab where the Chukar Partridge occurs. The area is generally jeep able. Because of its unique location and fertile soil, many species that are of restricted distribution in Pakistan can be seen here. Some examples are Blue tailed Bee-eater, Painted Sandgrouse, Black breasted Weaver, Blossom headed Parakeet and Indian Courser. Other common summer breeding visitors to this area include Small Button Quail, Yellow legged Button Quail and Spotted Dove. Brahminy Starlings are abundantly common here and one of the only places in Pakistan where the Asian Pied Starling can be reliably encountered in Pakistan is Jhelum, a city that lies at the heart of the Potohar Plateau. Other special species that do occur here as migrants include Red crested Pochard, Little Crake, Red capped Falcon and the Ruddy Crake. Many birds visit the plateau for wintering. This includes Buntings, Redstarts, and the White throated fantail. The Potohar plateau is a must for bird watchers as it is not only immensely rich in avifauna but also lies within easy reach from Pakistan's bird capital, Islamabad. Some Endangered birds that can be encountered in this region are: Red crested Pochard Ferruginous Pochard Oriental Darter Greater Spotted Eagle Imperial Eagle Rufous vented Prinia Black bellied Tern Laggar Falcon Cinereous Vulture Some speciality species and other special birds that can be found here include: Indian Courser Painted Sandgrouse Saker Falcon Pregrine Falcon Red necked Falcon Red capped Falcon Black Stork Rufous fronted Prinia Sind Sparrow Sind Woodpecker Great Thick-knee Indian Robin Brahminy Starling Orphean Warbler Small Button Quail Yellow legged Button Quail Rain Quail Northern Hobby Greylag Goose Bar headed Goose Water Rail Ruddy Crake Northern Goshawk Ashy crowned Finch-lark Crested Honey Buzzard Brahminy Kite Hen Harrier Montagues Harrier Chukar Partridge Seesee Partridge Spotted Crake Little Crake Baillon's Crake Demoiselle Crane Painted Snipe Jack Snipe Common Gull Caspian Tern Spotted Dove Yellow footed Green Pigeon Blossom headed Parakeet Sirkeer Malkoha Pallid Scops Owl Short eared Owl Savanna Nightjar Sykes's Nightjar Blue tailed Bee-eater Singing Bush Lark Red winged Bush Lark Black crowned Finch-Lark Rufous tailed Lark Bimaculated Lark Long tailed Minivet Orange flanked Bush Robin Magpie Robin Blue headed Redstart Plumbeous Redstart Brown Rock Chat White tailed Stone Chat Grey bush Chat White capped Redstart Cetti's Warbler Paddyfield Warbler Grey headed Flycatcher Grey headed Flycatcher White throated Fantail Green backed Tit Ashy Drongo Rook Black breasted Weaver Spotted Munia Linnet Himalayan Rosefinch Hawfinch Pine Bunting White capped Bunting Reed Bunting << Back to birding sites list
© All information on this page remains the copyright property of their owners and should not be used without permission

About us \| Disclaimer \| Terms of Use \| Contact Us © Copyright Birdwatchers Club of Pakistan 2005-2006. All rights reserved.
Best viewed with Internet Explorer 6.0 + at 1024x726