Nepal
Himalaya Mountains
The Himalaya is the world's highest mountain range and is home to unique wildlife. Habitat changes with altitude from tropical forests in the low lying foothills to mountain forests, grassy and barren land and finally permanent snow and ice. Wildlife including a variety of birds has adapted to even harsh high altitude environments, but the majority of species is at home at narrower elevations. Astonishingly the towering mountains are no obstacle for migrating birds, some cross the highest passes and bar-headed geese (many winter in Keoladeo/India and breed on the tibetan plateau) hold the record flying above 9000 m. Even though birding was not the prime reason for us to visit this impressive area, we braught a camera and managed to observe some interesting birdlife while hiking. The following shots were taken during two mountain treks, the first in March 2018 out of Pokhara/Lake Fewa to Mardi Himal and the second in April 2019 out of Lukla to Gokyo. Approximate elevations are indicated with the pictures.
Pokhara and lake Fewa are located at less than 1000 m altitude close to the Annapurna massive. Around the lake and in the hills nearby quite a few birds can be seen.
Noisy rose-ringed parakeets are common in the suburbs, 900 m.
crimson sunbird in a Pokhara garden, 900 m
blue-throated barbet, hills near Fewa lake, 1200 m
slaty-headed parakeet in the hills above Fewa lake, 1200 m
Great barbets can almost constantly be heard calling in spring, hills above Fewa lake, 1200 m.
red-vented bulbul in a Pokhara garden, 900 m
oriental cuckoo, Gokyo trek, near Phakding below Namche Bazaar, 2600 m
green-backed tit, same location
plumbeous water redstart
blue-capped redstart
white-winged redstart
mountain verditer flycatcher, Mardi Himal 2400 m
All three redstarts shown here have been spotted trecking Gokyo in the Dudh Koshi Nadi river valley near Phakding at about 2600m.
white-throated laughingthrush, Mardi Himal 2500 m
chestnut-crowned laughingthrush, Gokyu 2600 m
rufous-bellied woodpecker, Mardi Himal 2500 m
himalayan griffon, juv., Mardi Himal 2400 m
on the way to Forest Camp, Mardi Himal, 2700 m
The following pictures have been taken near forest camp at 2800 - 3000 m altitude.
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rufous sybia
yellow-bellied warbler
golden throated barbet
red-headed bullfinch
bar-throated siva
spot-billed grosbeak
grey-winged blackbird
yellow-billed blue magpie
darjeeling woodpecker
hodgon's treecreeper
Beyond 3500 m only small trees can survive and are soon replaced by hardy bushes and grass. The number of bird species is greatly reduced, but some are adapted to this harsh environment.
blue-fronted redstart, Gokyo 3900 m
kashmir nuthatch
rufous-vented tit, Gokyo 3800 m
long-billed crow, Gokyo 3800 m
blood pheasant, Gokyo 4000 m
At altitudes higher than 4200 m only small bushes and grass survive. Gokyo trek near Machermo with view of Cho Oyu, one of the Himalaya giants at 8201 m.
snow pigeons, Gokyo 4400 m
red-billed chough, Gokyo 4600 m
Both, a tufted duck (above) and a ruddy shelduck took a rest at the mostly frozen Gokyo lake during their spring migration from India to Tibet, 4800 m
Tibetan snowcocks are large, turkey like birds, living and nesting up to 5500 m. These pictures were taken near Gokyo at 4800 m.
Lack of food generally restricts birds to elevations below the permanent snow and ice at about 6000 m.
However during migration some reach significantly higher altitudes. Record holders are bar-headed geese, which have been seen at 9375 m, some 500 m higher than the worlds tallest peak. Mt. Everest (8848 m) is seen here at sunrise from Gokyo Ri.