Kaziranga Tiger Reserve is known for its population and the conservation effort for the Great Indian One-horned Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis). Kaziranga is a tiger reserve, a world heritage site, a national park, an elephant reserve, an important bird area, and a proposed Ramsar site.
Though Kaziranga is known for its one-horned rhinos and tigers, it is also a famous birding destination. Kaziranga is home to more than five hundred species of birds, with keen birdwatchers often spotting 70 to 80 different species on a single safari. Nature enthusiasts from all over the world come here to see not only the big mammals but also the birds.
In this blog, we will discuss the birds of Kaziranga, where to watch them, and the best time to see them. We talk about both the usual and uncommon birds found in Kaziranga, since several species that are rare elsewhere can actually be seen frequently here.
Bird Habitat in Kaziranga
There are four major types of bird habitat found in Kaziranga, and the composition of each is such that the wetlands and grasslands form a significant part of the reserve. Wetlands cover 7%, grasslands 57% (tall grass 52%, short grass 5%), sand 7%, and woodland 29% of the total area of the original Kaziranga National Park.
Alluvial Grassland
The alluvial grassland dominates the landscape, especially in the western part of the reserve, with tall elephant grass in the higher areas and shorter grass in the lower areas surrounding the lakes.
Tropical Wet Evergreen forests
Tropical wet evergreen forests are found near Panbari, Kanchanjuri, and Tamulipathar, dominated by trees such as Dillenia indica, Garcinia tinctoria, Cinnamomum bejolghota, Talauma hodgsonii,
Tropical Semi-Evergreen forests
Tropical semi-evergreen forests occur near Haldibari, Bimali, and Baguri. Barringtonia acutangular is found in waterlogged areas.
Wetlands
Wetlands make up a major part of Kaziranga’s habitat, and many small rivers and channels flow through the reserve from east to west. There are shallow oxbow lakes, locally called Beels, which are remnants of older channels. These waterbodies support a large number of waterbirds, including both resident and migratory species.
Common Bird Groups in Kaziranga
Kaziranga is known for birds that are otherwise rare in their distribution but are common in the reserve. Here is the information about those birds.
Hornbills
Kaziranga is known for its hornbills; people come here to see the Great Hornbill, which is the major attraction after the big mammals. Because of their size and colors, they are easy to see and photograph in the trees.
Kaziranga is home to three different hornbill species, with the Great Hornbill and Oriental Pied Hornbill being commonly observed in the Eastern, Central, and Burhapahar zones. The Wreathed Hornbill is another species that is often seen in the Burapahar range, although no nests have been found in this region.
Adjutant Stork
Kaziranga is home to two out of the three species of Adjutant storks (Genus Leptoptilos) that exist globally. The third species, called Marabou, is found in Africa only. Kaziranga is home to both the lesser and greater Adjutant storks. Though they are quite rare, especially the greater adjutant stork, they are found in good numbers in and near Kaziranga.
These large storks often build their nests in tall trees, sometimes even close to villages or towns. They are scavengers, and the largest congregation of Greater Adjutant is found near Deepor Beel, in a dumping ground in Guwahati, which is the major gateway to Kaziranga. In Kaziranga, one can see them in the Central and Eastern zones.
Other Storks
Kaziranga is also home to other species of storks, like the openbill stork, woolly-necked stork, and black-necked stork. Openbill storks are quite common, and seeing them searching for snails with their beak inside the water is a common sight in any wetland in Kaziranga. The other two species are found in different wetlands but in lesser numbers compared to the openbill stork.
Fish Eagles
Kaziranga’s wetlands sustain a robust fish population that serves as an essential food source for various eagle species. The grey-headed fish eagle is often spotted near wetlands in the western region, where it appears frequently. The other fish-eating eagle found in the reserve is the Pallas’ fish eagle.
Kaziranga is the best place in the world to see this large raptor. A species listed as endangered by IUCN is rare in other places but common in Kaziranga. The lesser fish eagle is rare, and due to its similarity to the grey-headed fish eagle and its presence in comparable habitats, it may often go unreported. The white-tailed eagle is another species found in this area. It bears a resemblance to Pallas’s fish eagle, but it is less common here.
Other Raptor species
Other raptors commonly found in Kaziranga are the black-winged kite, common in the heavily grazed grasslands of the central range. Jerdon’s Baza is a common breeding visitor to the park. The Black Baza often inhabits the reserve’s open woodlands, appearing primarily in the upper tree canopy. The Eurasian sparrowhawk is common inside the reserve and prefers thick woodland. The Oriental honey buzzard is a common bird of prey of the reserve in open forest areas.
The crested serpent eagle is also a common species of eagle found in the reserve. Changeable Hawk Eagle is a resident and is common in the wooded area of the reserve. Numerous other raptor species inhabit the reserve, each visible within its unique habitat.
Pelican
Pelicans are large waterbirds that primarily eat fish and are often found in groups. In Kaziranga, two species of pelicans are found. Spot billed and great white pelicans are found in the reserve, where the great white pelican is a winter visitor and not as common as the spot billed.
Cormorant and Darter
The waterbodies within the reserve provide habitats for Indian Cormorants, Great Cormorants, and Little Cormorants. Great Cormorants are typically found in flocks of 40 to 50 birds, whereas Little and Indian Cormorants tend to be seen alone or in smaller groups. Although the Darter, also known as the snakebird, is considered near threatened due to a decrease in its overall population range, it remains quite common in Kaziranga. Each beel or waterbody supports their presence, where Darters are most often spotted either alone or in pairs.
Egrets
Kaziranga is home to four different species of egrets—cattle egret, little egret, great egret, and intermediate egret—which can be seen in nearly all the reserve’s waterbodies. Cattle egrets are mostly seen in a flock following wild buffalo and rhinos, while other egrets are mostly solitary.
Herons & Bitterns
Kaziranga hosts a diverse array of heron species, such as the grey heron, purple heron, white-bellied heron, Indian pond heron, Chinese pond heron, Malayan night heron, and black-crowned night heron. Among these, the white-bellied, Chinese, and Malayan night herons are extremely rare, with only a handful of sightings reported in the area. The bitterns found in Kaziranga include the black, chestnut, yellow, and Eurasian varieties, none of which are particularly common.
Geese
Kaziranga is known as a favorite winter ground for Bar-headed geese, which is one of the highest-flying birds of Asia and is known to cross the high Himalayas to reach their wintering ground. They visit Kaziranga in large numbers, and during winters, one can see more than one hundred birds on a single safari. Other geese are the graylag, cotton pygmy, lesser white-fronted, and greater white-fronted goose. Graylag geese are not reported in the winter of 2026.
Ducks
Ruddy Shelduck, Common shelduck, garganey, northern shoveler, falcated duck, northern pintail, gadwall, Eurasian wigeon, common teal, Baikal teal, Indian spot billed duck, mallard, tufted duck, Baer’s pochard, ferruginous, common pochard, red crested pochard, lesser whistling, and fulvous whistling ducks are reported from Kaziranga.
Vultures
Several types of vultures have been reported in Kaziranga, including white-rumped vultures, slender-billed vultures, griffon vultures, Himalayan griffons, red-headed vultures, and cinereous vultures. However, only the slender-billed vulture and the Himalayan griffon (which visits during winter) are seen frequently; the others are very rarely observed.
This is just a half list of birds commonly found in Kaziranga. I will share more information in the second part of the blog.
