Shivpuri

Wild-life in Shivpuri

Madhav National Park
Madhav National Park is well known for the migratory waterfowl, which arrive from the North (mainly Siberia) to winter on and around the lakes. Bird life on the lake features many geese and ducks-whilst around the shores may be found several species of herons as well as storks and cranes. Bird life in the forests is also plentiful, with many of the species typical of the habitat. A particularly good area for bird viewing is where the track crosses the wide, rocky stream, which flows, from the Waste Weir. Here there are annually Red-wattle lapwings; Large pied Wagtails, Pond herons and often a White-breasted kingfisher. Numerous other species may be seen, especially at dawn or dusk when the birds fly in to drink. Some of the birds that can be seen are enlisted below. They are:

Spotted dove, Vulture, Red turtle dove, White-backed vulture, Blue rock pigeon, Common pariah kite, Spotted owlet, Black-winged kite, House swift, Marsh harrier, Common kingfisher, Shikra, white, breasted kingfisher, Laggar falcon.

Then there are Small pied kingfisher, Eurasian kestrel, Little bee-eater, Common fowl, Indian roller, Common sandgrouse, Hoopoe, Painted sandgrouse, Wryneck, Sarus crane, Mahratta woodpecker. Indian moorhen, Red-rumped swallow, Red-wattled lapwing, Wiretailed swallow, Green sandpiper, Bay-backed shrike, Grey shrike, Blossom-headed parakeet, Rose-ringed parakeet, Purple sunbird, Large cuckoo-shrike, Red-vented bulbul.

Plain prinia, Tailor bird, Ashy prinia, Common Mynah, Brahminy mynah, indian robin, Magpie robin, Black redstart, White-throated munia, Black drongo, Whitebellied drongo, Dusky crag martin, Collared bushchat, Paradise flycatcher. Verditer flycatcher, Red-breasted flycatcher, Orphean warbler, Pied bushchat, White-eye, Grey wagtail, Large pied wagtail, White wagtail, Grey tit, Jungle crow, Indian house crow, Treepie, Golden oriole, Black oriole, House sparrow.

156 sq. km in area, the park is open throughout the year. With a varied terrain of wooded hills, the forest being dry, mixed and deciduous with flat grasslands around the lake, it offers abundant opportunities of sighting a variety of wildlife. The predominant species that inhabits the park is the deer, of which the most easily sighted are the graceful little Chinkara, the Indian gazelle, and the Chital. Other species that have their habitat in the park are Nilgai, Sambar, Chausingha or four-horned Antelope, Blackbuck, Sloth Bear, Leopard and the ubiquitous common Langur.

The National Park is equally rich in avian fauna. The artificial lake, Chandpata, is the winter home of migratory Geese, Pochard, Pintail, Teal, Mallard Gadwall, Red Wattled Lapwing, Large Pied Wagtail, Pond Heron, White - Breasted Kingfisher, Cormorant, Painted Stork, White Ibis, Laggar Falcon, Purple Sunbird, Paradise Flycatcher and Golden Oriole.

Top