INDIAN MIGRATORY BIRDS
(Local migratory birds are excluded)
(By Dr. Girish Chandra)
WATER BIRDS
Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) – Breeds from Europe to Siberia. Winter visitor to northern India.
Black-necked Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis) – Eurasia, Africa and North America. Winter visitor in northern and western India.
White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) – A Palaearctic species visiting all over India in winter.
Black Stork (Ciconia nigra) – A Palaearctic species winter in India.
Bean Goose (Anser fabalis) – Breeds in Siberia and winters in India, China & Asia.
Grey Lag Goose (Anser anser) – A Palaearctic species wintering in Mediterranean, India and China.
Barheaded Goose (Anser indicus) – Breeds in Ladakh and north and visits all over northern India in winter.
Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus) – Breeds in Eurasia and North America and winters in Europe, USA, Asia and India.
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) – Breeds in Europe and winter visitor to northwestern India.
Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna) – A Palaearctic breeding species that is winter visitor in Indian subcontinent.
Pintail Duck(Anas acuta) – A Holarctic species that winters all over Indian subcontinent and southern North America.
Common Teal (Anas crecca) – A Holarctic species wintering in Asia and Africa.
Mallard Duck (Anas platyrhynchos) – A Holarctic breeding species, winter visitor to all over India up to Burma.
Gadwall Duck (Anas strepera) – A holarctic breeding species that visits throughout the Indian subcontinent in winter.
Wigeon Duck (Anas penelope) – Breeds in palaeactic region, visitor to norther India.
Garganey Teal (Anas querquedula) – A Palaearctic breeding species that visits throughout the Indian subcontinent in winter.
Shoveller (Anas clypeata) – Breeds in Holarctic region and winters in India.
Redcrested Pochard (Netta rufina) – Breeds in Mediterranean area and winter visitor to northern and southern India.
Common Pochard (Aythya ferina) – A Palaearctic breeding species, winter visitor to Africa and southern Asia.
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula) – A Palaearctic breeding species that winters in northern India.
Godeneyed Duck (Bucephala clangula) – Holarctic breeding species winter visitor to northern India.
Whiteheaded Stifftailed Duck (Oxyura leucocephala) – A Mediterranean species that is winter visitor to northern India.
Common Crane (Grus grus) – A Palaearctic breeding species, wintering in North Africa, India and China.
Siberian Crane or Great White Crane (Grus leucogeranus) – Found in Southeastern Russia and Siberia, wintering in northwestern India and China.
Demoiselle Crane (Anthropoides virgo) – From southeastern Europe to Mongolia, wintering in Africa, India, Burma and China.
Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) – A holarctic breeding species, wintering in southern India and southern latitude around the world.
Golden Plover(Pluvialis apricaria) – Breeds in northern Europe and winters in Mediterranean and up to India.
Eastern Golden Plover (Pluvialis dominica) – Breeds in North America and Europe and winters in South America and all over the Indian subcontinent.
Large Sand Plover (Charadrius leschenaultii) – Breeds in northern Asia and winter visitor to Africa, Asia and Australia.
Sand Plover (Charadrius asiaticus) – Breeds in Europe, Russia and Mongolia and winters in Africa, southern Asia and Australia.
Persian Shearwater (Procellaria persica) – Breeds in Persian gulf and migrates to India and southeast Asian islands.
Curlew (Numenius arquata) – A Palaearctic breeding species, wintering in Africa and southeastern Asia including India.
Blacktailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) – A Palaearctic breeding species, wintering in Asia, Africa and Australia.
Bartailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) – A holarctic breeding species, wintering in Afica, Asia and Australia.
Marsh Sandpiper (Tringa stagnatilis) – Breeds in southeastern Europe and winters in Africa, southern Asia and Australia.
Greenshank (Tringa nebularia) – A Palaearctic breeding species, wintering in Africa, southern Asia and islands of Australia and New Zealand.
Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus) – A Palaearctic breeding species, wintering in the African and Asian regions.
Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola) – A Palaearctic breeding species, wintering in Asia, Africa and Australia.
Spotted Greenshank (Tringa guttifer) – Breeds in Siberia and winters in the Indochinese subregion.
Terek Sandpiper (Tringa terek) – Breeds in Finland and winters in Africa and southern Asia to Australia.
Common Sandpiper (Tringa hypoleucos) – A Palaearctic breeding species, wintering in Europe, Africa and southern Asia.
Pintail Snipe (Gallinago sternura) – Breeds from Siberia to Tibet and winters from India to Indonesia.
Great Snipe (Gallinago media) – Breeds in northern Europe and winters in Africa, Sri Lanka and southern India.
Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola) – A Palaearctic breeding species up to Himalaya and winter visitor to Assam and south Indian hills in shady forests.
Eastern Little Stint (Calidris ruficollis) – Breeds in Siberia, wintering in eastern Asia to Australia.
Little Stint (Calidris minuta) – A Palaearctic breeding species, wintering in Africa, Southern Asia and Middle East.
Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris testacea) – Breeds in northern Asia and winters in Africa, India and up to Australia.
Broadbilled Sandpiper (Limicola falcinellus) – A Palaearctic breeding species, wintering in the Indochineses subregion.
Ruff and Reeve (Philomachus pugnax) – Breeds in Siberia and winters in Africa, India and China.
Blackbacked Gull (Larus fuscus) – Visits from northern Europe.
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) – A Holarctic species, wintering in southern Asia.
Whitewinged Black Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus) – Breeds in southern Europe, wintering in Africa, India and up to Australia.
Indian Tern (Chlidonias hybrida) – Winter visitor from Europe.
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) – Migrates from Europe to Asia.
PREDATORY BIRDS
Sparrow Hawk (Accipiter nisus) – A Palaearctic breeding species, visits Indian subcontinent in winter.
Fish Hawk (Pandion haliatus) – Breeds in Europe and winter visitor in India.
Buzzard (Buteo buteo) – A Palaearctic breeding species, winter visitor to all over India.
Tawny Eagle (Aquila rapax) – Found from Romania to Mongolia. Winter visitor to India.
Booted Hawk Eagle (Hieraetus pennatus) – Breeds in South Europe and northern Africa and visits all over India.
Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus) – A Palaearctic breeding species, wintering in India and
China.
Pale Harrier (Circus macrourus) – Breeds in Europe and winters in India and Sri Lanka.
Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus) – A Palaearctic breeding species wintering in Asia and Africa.
Perregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) – A holarctic breeding species that winters in Asia, Africa and Australia.
Merlin (Falco columbarius) – A Palaearctic breeding species wintering in Africa, India and other parts of Asia.
Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni) – A Mediterranean species that winters in Africa and India.
Scops Owl (Otus scops) – Breeds in Europe, Africa and Asia and summer visitor in the hills of Indian subregion.
OTHER BIRDS
Little Bustard (Otis tetrax) – European species visits northern Indian grasslands and cultivation in winter.
Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) – A Palaearctic breeding species, wintering in Indian subcontinent.
Greyheaded Lapwing (Vanellus indicus) – Breeds from Mongolia to Japan, winters in eastern India to Indo-Chinese subregion.
Rufous Turtle Dove (Steptopelia orientalis) – Breeds from Siberia to Himalaya and winters in Indochinese subregion.
The Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) – A Palaearctic breeding species, wintering in Africa and summer visitor to the hilly regions of India.
Himalayan Cuckoo (Cuculus saturatus) – Breeds in eastern and southern Asia and winters in Africa.
Small Cuckoo (Cuculus poliodephalus) – Breeds in Japan and winters in Africa. Summer visitor in Himalayan region.
The Swift (Apus apus) – A Palaearctic species, summer visitor to the Himalayan region
European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) – Breeds from Europe to Kashmir and winters in Africa. Summer visitor to most of the northern India.
Hoopoe (Upupa epops) – Breeds in Europe and Asia and summer visitor to the hills of India and winter visitor to the plains and foothills of India.
Wryneck (Jynx torquilla) – A Palaearctic breeding species, wintering in Mediterranean, northern Africa, India and the Indochinese subregion.
Skylark (Alauda arvensis) – Migrates from Europe to northern Africa, winter visitor in India.
Swallow (Hirundo rustica) – A holarctic species wintering in the Indian subcontinent.
Redbacked Shrike (Lanius collurio) – A palaearctic species wintering in Africa and southeastern Asia including in northern India.
Brown Shrike (Lanius cristatus) – Breeds from Siberia to Asia, winter visitor to northern India and up to Sri Lanka.
Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus) – Found from Europe to Northern Asia and wintering in Africa. Partly migratory in northern India and Himalayas.
Blacknaped Oriole (Oriolus chinensis) – Breeds in northern Asia, Manchuria and Korea and winter visitor to northern India.
Rosy Pastor (Sturnus roseus) – Breeds in southeastern Europe and winter visitor to northern India.
Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) – Found throughout Europe and winter visitor to India.
Brown Flycatcher (Muscicapa latirostris) – Breeds in the Palaearctic region and Himalaya and winter visitor to most parts of India.
Brownbreasted Flycatcher (Muscicapa muttui) – Breeds in Himalayan range and winters in dense evergreen forest of peninsular India.
Redbreasted Flycatcher (Muscicapa parva) – A Palaearctic species winter visitor to plantations and gardens.
Cetti’s Warbler (Cettia cetti) – Distributed from Southern Europe to northern Africa. Winter visitor to the plain of India.
Streaked Grasshopper Warbler (Locustella lanceolata) – Breeds in Siberia and winter visitor to northern India to Burma.
Grasshopper Warbler (Locustella naeva) – Northern Europe to Mongolia and winter visitor to the Indian subcontinent.
Thickbilled Warbler (Acrocephalus aedon) – Breeds in USSR and winters in the Indochinese subregion.
Easter Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus) – Breeds from Siberia to Japan and winters in the Indochinese subregion.
Paddyfield Warbler (Acrocephalus agricola) – Breeds in USSR and winter in India.
Booted Warbler (Hippolais caligata) – From USSR to Mongolia and winters in India to
eastern Africa.
Lesser Whitethroat (Sylvia curruca) – Breeds from Europe to Mongolia and winters in India, Africa and Sri Lanka.
Desert Warbler (Sylvia nana) – Breeds in north Africa, Iran to Turkestan and winters in scrub and semi-desert areas of northern India.
Brown Leaf Warbler (Phylloscopus collybita) – A Palaearctic species wintering from tropical Africa to India.
Dusky Leaf Warbler (Phylloscopus fuscatus) – Breeds in Siberia to Mongolia and winter visitor to Himalayan foothills in scrub jungles, low bushes and hedges.
Rubythroat (Erithacus calliope) – Breeds from Siberia to Bering Islands and winters all over India and Asia up to Philippines.
Bluethroat (Erithacus svecicus) – Breeds in Europe and northern Asia and winters in India, SE Asia and China.
Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) – A Palaearctic breeding species that winters in northeastern Africa, Arabia, India and northern Vietnam.
Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus) – An European species migrating to Africa and India.
Hodgson’s Redstart (Phoenicurus hodgsoni) – Breeds in northwestern China and migrates to northern Burma and northern India.
Dark Thrush (Turdus obscurus) – Breeds in Siberia and winters from eastern India to Taiwan.
Redthroated Thrush (Turdus ruficollis) – Breeds in Siberia to Mongolia and winters in Indian subcontinent to China.
Indian Tree Pipit (Anthus hodgsoni) – Breeds from northern Asia to Siberia and winters in India and up to Philippines and Korea.
Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis) – A Palaearctic breeding species that winters in Middle East, Africa and India.
Tawny Pipit (Anthus campestris) – Breeds from Europe to Mongolia and winters in northern India in semidesert areas.
Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava) – A Palaearctic breeding species, wintering in northern India to Burma in pastures and moist grasslands.
Yellowheaded Wagtail (Motacilla citreola) – Breeds from Siberia to Mongolia and winters in Indian subcontinent and southern China.
White Wagtail (Motacilla alba) – A Palaearctic species wintering in tropical Africa and Asia. Recorded in northern India up to Andhra Pradesh.
Grey Wagtail (Motacilla caspica) – Winter visitor from Siberia, Russia, Afghanistan.
Spanish Sparrow (Passer ispaniolensis) – Breeds from Europe to northern Africa and
Pine Bunting (Emberiza leucocephalos) – Breeds in Europe to Siberia, wintering in India, China and Japan.
Blackheaded Bunting (Emberiza melanocephala) – Breeds in Europe and winters in India in cereal cultivations.
winter visitor in northern India in cultivations and semi-desert.
Yellowbreasted Bunting (Emberiza aureola) – A palaearctic species, winter visitor in northeastern India in cultivations and grasslands.
Blackfaced Bunting (Emberiza spodocephala) – Breeds in Siberia to western China and winter visitor to northeastern India and Bangladesh in rice fields and marshes.
Indian Jungle Nightjar (Caprimulgus indicus) – Breeds from Siberia to Japan and winter visitor to northern India.