Top Birding Hot Spots in Pakistan - Punjab
Salt Range
Updated: 08/08/2006
Information by Birdwatcher's Club of
Pakistan (BCP)
The Salt Range constitutes a small portion chain of
hills, some of which are made of Salt Rock. It constitutes the area from
the outskirts of Daud Khel in the West to Tilla Jogian in the East. The
Taraki hills are a northward extension of the Salt Range hills. The 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 depressions of Dina, hills
of Taraki, chain of salt water lakes and the grasslands of Kahan River.
The depressions of Dina are home to the easternmost populations of
Painted Sandgrouse in Pakistan. Taraki hills house the only population
of Chukar Partridge surviving in Punjab.
On the Eastern side of Salt Range lies Choa Saidan Shah.
Choa Saidan Shah receives many winter visitors from the Northern Areas.
An example is the Green Backed Tit. The Scaly-bellied Green Woodpecker
also occurs in Choa Saidan Shah. Similarly White-capped Redstart and
Plumbeous Redstarts also winter here.
Another good Birding site in the Salt Range is Kallar Kahar. Kallar
Kahar is a hill station close to Kallar Kahar lake. Kallar Kahar lake is
a salt water lake and in the past had been a principal site for the
endangered White headed Duck. Unfortunately since a few years this bird
has not been visiting Kallar Kahar lake. Kallar Kahar hills also have a
good number of Indian Peafowl.
Some other lakes worth mentioning in the Salt Range are Uchchali,
Khabbaki and Nammal Lakes. Together, these three lakes form The Uchalli
Wetland Complex, a Ramsar site blessed with rich natural resources which
harbors great varieties of bird fauna in and around their catchments
areas. These wetlands are important for international conservation as
they presently support the only wintering flock of White-headed Duck
which visits Pakistan. Along with the White-headed Duck, some other bird
species also listed in the IUCN Red Data Book are supported by
these lakes: the Cinereous Vulture, the Imperial Eagle and the Sociable
Plover Further, Flamingoes, Pied Harrier, Grey-lag Goose and the
Ferruginous Pochard
also visit these wetlands in addition to other species.
The
Salt Range chain of lakes and the small dams of Dina depressions are a
great place to see waterfowl. These places receive a large number of
migratory 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,
which occurs in the hills of Tilla Jogian.
The
terrain is beautifully exhilarating. The Salt Range is only the 2nd
region in Pakistan where as many as 6 Galliformes species co-exist with
each other. They are the Grey and Black Francolins, Chukar, Seesee
Partridge, Common Quail and Rain Quail.
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, Blossom headed Parakeet and Indian Courser. Other common
summer breeding visitors to this area include Small Button Quail and
Spotted Dove. Brahminy Starlings are abundantly common in Jhelum 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 one
corner of the Salt Range. Other special species that do occur here as
migrants include Little Crake, Red capped Falcon and the Ruddy Crake.
Many
other birds visit the Salt Range for wintering. This includes Buntings,
Redstarts, and the White throated fantail. The Salt Range 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:
1.
Ferruginous Pochard
2.
Oriental Darter
3.
White headed Duck (possibly extinct. Decline is sharp numbers from 1000
birds
to
only 10 in
winter 2001)
4.
Greater Spotted Eagle
5.
Imperial Eagle
6.
Rufous vented Prinia
7.
Black bellied Tern
8.
Laggar Falcon
9.
Cinereous Vulture
10.
Sociable Plover
Some specialty species and other special birds that can be found here
include:
1. Indian Courser
2. Painted Sandgrouse
3. Saker Falcon
4. Peregrine Falcon
5. Red necked Falcon
6. Red capped Falcon
7. Black Stork
8. Rufous fronted Prinia
9. Sind Sparrow
10. Sind Woodpecker
11. Scaly-bellied Green Woodpecker
12. Great Crested Grebe
13. Red-necked Grebe
14. Black-necked Grebe
15. Little Bittern
16. White Stork
17. Greater Flamingo
18. Common Shelduck
19. Smew
20. Common Merganser
21. Indian Robin
22. Brahminy Starling
23. Orphean Warbler
24. Small Button Quail
25. Rain Quail
26. Northern Hobby
27. Grey-lag Goose
28. Bar headed Goose
29. Water Rail
30. Northern Goshawk
31. Ashy crowned Finch-lark
32. Crested Honey Buzzard
33. Hen Harrier
34. Montagues Harrier
35. Pied Harrier
36. Chukar Partridge
37. Seesee Partridge
38. Spotted Crake
39. Little Crake
40. Baillon's Crake
41. Ruddy Crake
42. Demoiselle Crane
43. Painted Snipe
44. Jack Snipe
45. Great Black-headed Gull
46. Caspian Tern
47. Spotted Dove
48. Yellow footed Green Pigeon
49. Blossom headed Parakeet
50. Sirkeer Malkoha (possible occurrence)
51. Pallid Scops Owl
52. Short eared Owl
53. Savanna Nightjar
54. Sykes's Nightjar
55. Blue tailed Bee-eater
56. Singing Bush Lark
57. Red winged Bush Lark
58. Black crowned Finch-Lark
59. Bimaculated Lark
60. Long tailed Minivet
61. Orange flanked Bush Robin
62. Magpie Robin
63. Blue headed Redstart
64. Plumbeous Redstart
65. Eversmann's Redstart
66. White tailed Stone Chat
67. Grey Bush Chat
68. White capped Redstart
69. Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush
70. Mistle Thrush
71. Cetti's Warbler
72. Paddyfield Warbler
73. Grey headed Flycatcher Warbler
74. Grey headed Flycatcher
75. White throated Fantail
76. Green backed Tit
77. Ashy Drongo
78. Rook
79. Spotted Munia
80. Linnet
81. Himalayan Rosefinch
82. Hawfinch
83. Pine Bunting
84. White capped Bunting
85. Reed Bunting
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