Bhutan Birding Tours

Unlike most other countries in the Indian Subcontinent, Bhutan has never been colonized in its history and has developed a distinct national identity based on Buddhism. However, like the other countries in the region Bhutan has a fascinating cultural history, some of the exact facts have likely been lost due to a fire in the ancient capital city of Punakha in 1827! However, it is more than likely that aspects of Bhutanese culture were impacted by Mongol warlords and Chinese dynasties (from what is now Mongolia and China respectively). Since the 17th century, Bhutan has been known as “Druk yul” – which means country of the Drukpa Lineage, the Dragon People, or “the Land of the Thunder”, a reference to the country’s dominant Buddhist sect, a really interesting subject area to read up on if you have time before your visit or to explore on the ground if you arrive in the country a few days before your Bhutan birding tour.

During your Bhutan birding tours we will bird around some of the historical sites of cultural importance such as the famous Tiger Nest Monastery in the Paro Valley and the equally famous Punakha Dzong. The word ‘Dzong’ roughly translates to fortress-monastery, hence these buildings are hugely important to the Bhutanese. The Punakha Dzong was the administrative center and the seat of government in Bhutan until 1955, when the capital was moved a relatively short distance west, to its current location at Thimphu. This particular Dzong is one of the largest in Bhutan and the traditional architecture is fascinating to see up-close! It is also a great spot for birdwatching, the Dzong was built between two rivers for defensive purposes and so is worth a look for the huge Crested Kingfisher.

Bhutan birding highlights

A few of the many excellent birds on offer on our Bhutan tours include Black-necked Crane, White-bellied Heron, Himalayan Monal, Ward’s Trogon, Fire-tailed Myzornis, Yellow-rumped Honeyguide, Blood Pheasant, Satyr Tragopan, Beautiful Nuthatch, Rufous-necked Hornbill, Ibisbill, Wallcreeper, and Spotted Elachura.