Haryana wild life

Wildlife of Haryana

Sultanpur National Park

Located 46 kms from Delhi, Sultanpur National Park, is just a- short drive away from the Delhi - Jaipur Highway. A stretch of marshy land has been remodelled. The artificial mounds have turned into green glades. The marsh has been converted into a water body. A number of organisms like crustaceans, fish and insects thrive during floods, which attract a number of birds to this area. The sanctuary potential of the place was first recognised by the world famous ornithologist, Mr. Peter Jackson. Keeping in view its importance and potential, the area covering 359 acres was declared a bird sanctuary in 1971 and was upgraded to the status of National Park in 1991 by Haryana Government. Sultanpur was a haunt of our very own birdman, Late Dr. Salim Ali.

Bhindawas Bird Sanctuary

Bhindawas Bird Sanctuary in district Jhajjar is around 15 km from Jhajjar town and is about 3 and a half hours drive from Delhi. The lake and the birds in it are the main attraction of this complex. The Sanctuary is spread over an area of 1074 acres which makes it considerably larger than the Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary. The peripheral embankment is man made and basically constructed to store the escaped water of Jawaharlal Nehru canal through an escape channel at the time of power failure of Lift Canal System. The Bhindawas lake is being used by the migratory and resident birds of about 250 species. Blue Peafowl, Gray Francolin, Black Francolin, Shikra, Black Kite, Oriental Honey Buzzard, Eurasian Thick-knee, Bronze-winged Jacana, Purple Swamphen, Greater Coucal, Little Grebe, Yellow-crowned Woodpecker, Black-rumped Flameback, White-throated Kingfisher, Coppersmith Barbet, Indian Roller, Common Hoopoe, Black Drongo, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Plum-headed Parakeet, Spotted Owlet, Rock Pigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Laughing Dove, Jungle Babbler, Oriental Darter and Spot-billed Duck are some of the resident birds.

Greater Flamingo, Pallas's Gull, Whiskered Tern, Osprey, Eurasian Marsh Harrier, Graylag Goose, Bar-headed Goose, Comb Duck, Ruddy Shelduck, Mallard, Gadwall, Eurasian Wigeon, Great Cormorant, Common Teal, Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Green Bee-eater, Pied Cuckoo, Common Hawk Cuckoo, Great Egret, Crested Lark, Ashy Prinia, Oriental Pratincole, Small Pratincole, Kentish Plover, Northern Lapwing, Yellow Bittern etc are some of the migratory birds that visit this sanctuary.

In addition to birds, the antelope Neelgai (Blue Bull), Jungle Cat and Jackals can also be seen in the Bhindawas Bird Sanctuary.