Birds of Paradise

Bhutan is a land with many species of birds. Some birds live in the high altitude mountains like the eagles and pheasants. They are not seen much as they prefer the isolated mountain tops. Then there are the rare endangered species like the Black necked cranes. These cranes go to Tibet to roost in the summer and during winters, when it is too cold there, they fly many miles over mountain tops to Bhutan and spend the winter months here. They are loved by the local people and believe that these birds are the birds of the gods. Their peculiar cries going "krung, krrung" can be heard all day as they gaze in the fields in pairs. Sometimes they even dance. They are a protected species in Bhutan and have a special sanctuary in central Bhutan where the government is against laying electric lines so that these birds will not be disturbed.

There are many birds which live in sub tropical and tropical places in Bhutan. It is a delight to watch these birds and try to capture them on the camera. It is a habit which is quite entertaining and one will also get a lot of knowledge from observing these birds. I have captured a few on my camera. One is a lovely little kingfisher which i saw at the river side near my house.There are also many varieties of ducks which come to the river side. Bird watching is a relaxing and enjoyable habit which i hope many people will take up and teach their children too.