Waltèrre has a birding checklist of over 350 species. The elusive Nepal Wren-Babbler was first found in India in its garden. Five species of sunbirds are found regularly feeding in the garden. Three types of forktails are seen in the river at the bottom of the resort. The river Tons has resident brown dippers.
Our amazing Walterre holiday
My wife’s only problem with my birding trip was the fact that since she’s not into birds, she had to either sit alone in the lodges we stayed in or had to stay at home while I was traveling.
But that problem was solved when we went to the Doon Valley, namely Dehradun and Mussoorie. We stayed at the amazing Walterre bungalow, and while I was enjoying watching and photographing the various avian beauties that the bungalow is home to, like Crimson Sunbird, Maroon Oriole, various woodpeckers, and many more, she was able to enjoy the beautiful garden and library back at the bungalow. In addition, the places we visited were so beautiful that even a non-birder would appreciate them.
We can’t wait for our next short tour with Asian Adventures. Especially if it is to places that are so amazing
Checklist
A checklist of birds of the Dehradun Valley and adjoining hills Compiled by Bikram Grewal
The area under discussion is the Dehradun Valley and its neighboring hills, starting with the River Ganga to the east and the River Yamuna to the west. This includes the highly productive wetland the Asan Barrage, near Paonta Sahib. The north encompasses the hills of Chakrata, Mussoorie, and Dhaunalti. The south takes in the relevant portion of the Rajaji National Park.
This checklist has been based on various sources. BB Omaston was the first (1935) to do a systematic checklist of Dehradun and its adjourning hills. This checklist through detailed is now both outdated and quaint. Subsequently, two local bird-watchers (based in the Forest Research Institute) produced sensible and detailed checklists. The first was D. Mohan’s “Birds of New Forest, Dehra Dun, India” (1996) which was subsequently incorporated in AP Singh’s (2000) excellent ” Birds of lower Garhwal and neighboring hills”. Another useful checklist published in 1994 was Pandey et al “Birds of the Rajaji National Park” All of the above three were published in the Forktail, the journal of the Oriental Bird Club.
The attached checklist is primarily based on the above but has drawn, as well, on the writings of other observers like R Fleming, Nitin Jamdar, SA Hussain, Sudhir Vyas. First-hand reports of recent visitors like Bill Harvey, Nikhil Devasar, KB Singh, Mike Prince, Sumit Sen, et al have also been incorporated. The compiler, who is a part-time resident of Dehradun, has been birdwatching in the area for several years. This update owes a special debt to Arun P. Singh who kindly summarised the most recent new records for me.
A select bibliography is attached after the checklist. A detailed bibliography of the area is available with the compiler and he will be happy to provide it to those who may require it.
The compiler will be happy to discuss omissions, commissions, updates, and corrections. Please correspond directly with Bikram Grewal at biks.grewal@gmail.com
| Chukar Black Francolin (Black Partridge) | Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker | Grey-bellied Cuckoo (Indian Plaintive Cuck |
| Grey Francolin (Grey Partridge) | Brown-fronted Woodpecker | Drongo Cuckoo |
| Common Quail | Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker | Asian Koel (Koel,) |
| Rain Quail (Black-breasted Quail) | Yellow-crowned Woodpecker | Green-billed Malkoha |
| Blue-breasted Quail | Rufous-bellied Woodpecker | Sirkeer Malkoha (Sirkeer Cuckoo) |
| Jungle Bush Quail | Himalayan Woodpecker | Greater Coucal (Crow-pheasant) |
| Hill Partridge (Common Hill Partridge) | Rufous Woodpecker | Lesser Coucal (Small Coucal) |
| Western Tragopan | Lesser Yellownape | Alexandrine Parakeet (Large Parakeet) |
| Koklass Pheasant | Greater Yellownape | Rose-ringed Parakeet |
| Himalayan Monal (Impeyan Pheasant) | Streak-throated Woodpecker | Slaty-headed Parakeet |
| Red Junglefowl | Scaly-bellied Woodpecker | Plum-headed Parakeet (Blossom-headed) |
| Kalij Pheasant | Grey-headed Woodpecker | Red-breasted Parakeet |
| Cheer Pheasant (Chir Pheasant) | Himalayan Flameback | Himalayan Swiftlet (Edible-nest Swiftlet) |
| Indian Peafowl (Common Peafowl) | Black-rumped Flameback | White-throated Needletail (Spinetail) |
| Lesser Whistling-teal | Greater Flameback | Alpine Swift |
| Greylag Goose | Great Barbet (Great Hill Barbet) | House Swift (Little Swift) |
| Bar-headed Goose | Brown-headed Barbet (Green Barbet) | Crested Treeswift (Crested Swift) |
| Ruddy Shelduck (Ruddy Sheldrake) | Lineated Barbet | Barn Owl |
| Common Shelduck | Blue-throated Barbet | Grass Owl (Eastern Grass Owl) |
| Comb Duck | Coppersmith Barbet | Mountain Scops Owl (Spotted Scops Owl) |
| Cotton Pygmy-goose (Cotton Teal) | Indian Grey Hornbill (Gray Hornbill) | Oriental Scops Owl (Little Scops Owl) |
| Gadwall | Great Hornbill (Giant Hornbill) | Collared Scops Owl |
| Falcated Duck (Falcated Teal) | Oriental Pied Hornbill | Eurasian Eagle Owl (Great Horned Owl,) |
| Eurasian Wigeon (Wigeon) | Common Hoopoe (Hoopoe) | Rock Eagle Owl |
| Mallard | Indian Roller | Brown Fish Owl |
| Spot-billed Duck (Spotbill) | Dollarbird (Broad-billed Roller) | Tawny Owl (Tawny Wood Owl) |
| Northern Shoveler (Shoveller) | Common Kingfisher (Small Blue Kingfisher) | Collared Owlet (Collared Pygmy) |
| Northern Pintail (Pintail) | Stork-billed Kingfisher | Asian Barred Owlet (Barred Owlet) |
| Garganey | White-throated Kingfisher | Jungle Owlet (Barred Jungle Owlet) |
| Common Teal | Crested Kingfisher | Spotted Owlet |
| Marble Duck (Marble Teal) | Pied Kingfisher (Lesser Pied Kingfisher) | Brown Hawk Owl (Brown Boobook) |
| Red-crested Pochard | Blue-bearded Bee-eater | Grey Nightjar (Indian Jungle Nightjar) |
| Common Pochard | Green Bee-eater (Little Green Bee-eater) | Large-tailed Nightjar (Long-tailed) |
| Ferruginous Pochard (White-eyed Pochard) | Blue-cheeked Bee-eater | Indian Nightjar (Common Indian Nightjar) |
| Baer’s Pochard | Blue-tailed Bee-eater | Savanna Nightjar (Franklin’s) |
| Tufted Duck (Tufted Pochard) | Chestnut-headed Bee-eater | Rock Pigeon (Blue Rock Pigeon) |
| Greater Scaup (Scaup Duck) | Pied Cuckoo (Pied Crested Cuckoo) | Hill Pigeon |
| Long-tailed Duck (Long-tail Duck) | Large Hawk Cuckoo | Snow Pigeon |
| Common Merganser (Goosander) | Common Hawk Cuckoo | Common Wood Pigeon (Wood Pigeon) |
| Small Buttonquail (Little buttonquail) | Indian Cuckoo | Speckled Wood Pigeon |
| Barred Buttonquail (Barred Bustard-Quail) | Eurasian Cuckoo (Common Cuckoo) | Oriental Turtle Dove (Rufous Turtle Dove) |
| Eurasian Wryneck (Wryneck) | Oriental Cuckoo (Himalayan Cuckoo) | Laughing Dove (Little Brown) |
| Speckled Piculet (Spotted Piculet) | Lesser Cuckoo (Small Cuckoo) | Spotted Dove |
| Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpecker | Banded Bay Cuckoo | Red Collared Dove (Red Turtle) |
| Eurasian Collared Dove (Indian Ring) | Red-wattled Lapwing | Greater Spotted Eagle |
| Emerald Dove (Bronze-winged Dove) | Small Pratincole (Little Pratincole) | Tawny Eagle (Eurasian Tawny Eagle) |
| Yellow-footed Green Pigeon | Indian Skimmer | Steppe Eagle |
| Pin-tailed Green Pigeon (Pin-tailed Pigeon) | Yellow-legged Gull (Herring) | Imperial Eagle |
| Wedge-tailed Pigeon | Pallas’s Gull (Great Black-headed) | Golden Eagle |
| Slaty-legged Crake | Brown-headed Gull | Bonelli’s Eagle (Bonelli’s Hawk Eagle) |
| Water Rail | Black-headed Gull | Booted Eagle (Booed Hawk Eagle) |
| Brown Crake | Caspian Tern | Rufous-bellied Eagle |
| White-breasted Waterhen | River Tern (Indian River Tern) | Changeable Hawk Eagle (Crested H Eagle) |
| Baillon’s Crake | Little Tern | Mountain Hawk Eagle |
| Ruddy-breasted Crake (Ruddy) | Black-bellied Tern | Common Kestrel (Kestrel, Eurasian Kestrel) |
| Purple Swamphen (Purple Moorhen) | Whiskered Tern | Red-necked Falcon (Red-headed Merlin) |
| Common Moorhen | Osprey | Eurasian Hobby (Hobby, Northern Hobby) |
| Common Coot (Coot) | Oriental Honey-buzzard | Oriental Hobby (Indian Hobby) |
| Eurasian Woodcock (Woodcock) | Black-shouldered Kite (Black-winged Kite) | Laggar Falcon |
| Wood Snipe | Black Kite (Pariah Kite) | Saker Falcon (Lanner) |
| Pintail Snipe | Brahminy Kite | Peregrine Falcon |
| Common Snipe (Fantail Snipe) | Pallas’s Fish Eagle (Pallas’s Fishing Eagle) | Little Grebe |
| Jack Snipe | Lesser Fish Eagle (Himalayan Grey-headed | Red-necked Grebe |
| Black-tailed Godwit | Grey-headed Fish Eagle | Great Crested Grebe |
| Spotted Redshank | Lammergeier (Bearded Vulture) | Black-necked Grebe |
| Common Redshank (Redshank) | Egyptian Vulture (Small White, Scavenger) | Darter (Indian Darter, Snakebird) |
| Marsh Sandpiper | White-rumped Vulture | Little Cormorant |
| Common Greenshank (Greenshank) | Long-billed Vulture | Indian Cormorant (Shag) |
| Green Sandpiper | Himalayan Griffon | Great Cormorant (Large Cormorant) |
| Wood Sandpiper | Eurasian Griffon | Little Egret |
| Terek Sandpiper | Cinereous Vulture (Black Vulture) | Grey Heron |
| Common Sandpiper | Red-headed Vulture (King Vulture) | Purple Heron |
| Little Stint | Short-toed Snake Eagle (Short-toed Eagle) | Great Egret (Large Egret) |
| Temminck’s Stint | Crested Serpent Eagle | Intermediate Egret (Median Egret) |
| Ruff | Hen Harrier W (Northern Harrier) | Cattle Egret |
| Greater Painted-snipe (Painted Snipe) | Pallid Harrier (Pale Harrier) | Indian Pond Heron (Pond Heron |
| Pheasant-tailed Jacana | Pied Harrier | Little Heron (Little Green Heron) |
| Bronze-winged Jacana | Montagu’s Harrier | Black-crowned Night Heron (Night Heron) |
| Eurasian Thick-knee (Stone-curlew) | Crested Goshawk | Little Bittern |
| Great Thick-knee (Great Stone Plover) | Shikra | Yellow Bittern |
| Black-winged Stilt | Besra (Besra Sparrow-hawk) | Cinnamon Bittern (Chestnut Bittern) |
| Pied Avocet (Avocet) | Eurasian Sparrowhawk | Black Bittern |
| Little Ringed Plover ( Little Ring Plover) | Northern Goshawk (Goshawk) | Black-headed Ibis (White Ibis) |
| Kentish Plover | White-eyed Buzzard (White-eyed Buzzard) | Black Ibis (Red-naped Ibis) |
| Northern Lapwing (Eurasian Lapwing) | Common Buzzard | Eurasian Spoonbill (Spoonbill) |
| Yellow-wattled Lapwing | Long-legged Buzzard | Great White Pelican (Rosy Pelican) |
| River Lapwing (Spur-winged) | Black Eagle | Painted Stork |
| Grey-headed Lapwing | Indian Spotted Eagle | Asian Openbill (Asian Openbill) |
| Black Stork | Ashy Drongo(Grey) | White-tailed Rubythroat (Himalayan) |
| Woolly-necked Stork (White-necked) | White-bellied Drongo | Bluethroat |
| Black-necked Stork | Bronzed Drongo (Little Bronzed Drongo) | Indian Blue Robin (Blue Chat) |
| Hooded Pitta (Green-breasted Pitta) | Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo | Orange-flanked Bush Robin |
| Indian Pitta | Spangled Drongo (Hair-crested) | Golden Bush Robin |
| Long-tailed Broadbill | Black-naped Monarch | White-browed Bush Robin |
| Golden-fronted Leafbird (Chloropsis) | Asian Paradise-flycatcher | Oriental Magpie Robin |
| Orange-bellied Leafbird (Chloropsis) | Common Iora (Iora) | White-rumped Shama (Shama) |
| Rufous-tailed Shrike (Isabelline) | Common Woodshrike | Indian Robin |
| Brown Shrike | Brown Dipper | Blue-capped Redstart |
| Bay-backed Shrike | Blue-capped Rock Thrush | Black Redstart |
| Long-tailed Shrike (Rufous-rumped) | Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush | Blue-fronted Redstart |
| Grey-backed Shrike (Tibetan) | Blue Rock Thrush | White-capped Water Redstart |
| Great Grey Shrike | Blue Whistling Thrush (Whistling Thrush) | Plumumbeous Water Redstart |
| Southern Grey Shrike (Grey Shrike) | Orange-headed Thrush | White-bellied Redstart |
| Eurasian Jay (Jay) | Plain-backed Thrush | Blue-fronted Robin |
| Black-headed Jay | Long-tailed Thrush | Little Forktail |
| Yellow-billed Blue Magpie | Scaly Thrush | Black-backed Forktail |
| Red-billed Blue Magpie | Long-billed Thrush | Slaty-backed Forktail |
| Common Green Magpie | Common Green Magpie Tickell’s Thrush | Spotted Forktail |
| Rufous Treepie (Indian Treepie) | White-collared Blackbird | Common Stonechat |
| Grey Treepie (Himalyan Treepie) | Grey-winged Blackbird | Pied Bushchat (Pied Stone-chat) |
| Spotted Nutcracker | Eurasian Blackbird | Grey Bushchat (Dark-grey Bushchat) |
| Red-billed Chough | Chestnut Thrush (Grey-headed Thrush) | Variable Wheatear |
| Yellow-billed Chough | Dark-throated Thrush | Rufous-tailed Wheatear |
| House Crow | Mistle Thrush | Desert Wheatear |
| Large-billed Crow (Jungle/Black Crow | Spotted Flycatcher | Isabelline Wheatear (Chat) |
| Ashy Woodswallow (Ashy Swallow-shrike) | Dark-sided Flycatcher | Brown Rock-chat (Indian Chat) |
| Eurasian Golden Oriole (Golden Oriole) | Asian Brown Flycatcher | Spot-winged Starling |
| Black-hooded Oriole (Black-headed) | Rusty-tailed Flycatcher | Chestnut-tailed Starling |
| Maroon Oriole | Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher | Brahminy Starling |
| Large Cuckooshrike | Red-throated Flycatcher | Rosy Starling |
| Bar-bellied Cuckooshrike (Barred) | Snowy-browed Flycatcher | Common Starling |
| Black-winged Cuckooshrike | Little Pied Flycatcher | Asian Pied Starling (Pied Myna) |
| Black-headed Cuckooshrike | Ultramarine Flycatcher | Common Myna (Mynah) |
| Rosy Minivet | Slaty-blue Flycatcher | Bank Myna |
| Small Minivet (Little Minivet) | Verditer Flycatcher | Jungle Myna |
| Long-tailed Minivet | Small Niltava | Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch |
| Scarlet Minivet (Orange Minivet) | Rufous-bellied Niltava (Beautiful) | White-tailed Nuthatch |
| Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike | Blue-throated Flycatcher | Velvet-fronted Nuthatch |
| Yellow-bellied Fantail | Hill Blue Flycatcher | Wallcreeper |
| White-throated Fantail | Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher | Eurasian Treecreeper |
| White-browed Fantail (Flycatcher) | Grey-canary Flycatcher | Bar-tailed Treecreeper |
| Black Drongo | Siberian Rubythroat | Rusty-flanked Treecreeper |
| Winter Wren | Spotted Bush Warbler | Chestnut-tailed Minla |
| Fire-capped Tit | Blyth’s Reed Warbler | White-browed Fulvetta |
| Rufous-naped Tit | Booted Warbler | Rufous Sibia |
| Spot-winged Tit | Common Tailorbird (Tailorbird) | Whiskered Yuhina |
| Grey-crested Tit | Common Chiffchaff | Stripe-throated Yuhina |
| Great Tit (Grey Tit) | Dusky Warbler | Rufous-vented Yuhina |
| Green-backed Tit | Tickell’s Leaf Warbler | Black-chinned Yuhina |
| Black-lored Tit | Sulphur-bellied Warbler | Lesser Whitethroat |
| Yellow-cheeked Tit | Buff-barred Warbler | Bushlark (Lark) |
| Yellow-browed Tit | Ashy-throated Warbler | Indian Bushlark |
| Black-throated Tit (Red-headed Tit) | Lemon-rumped Warbler | Rufous-winged Bushlark |
| White-throated Tit | Yellow-browed Warbler | Ashy-crowned Sparrow Lark |
| Pale Martin (Collared Sand Martin) | Hume’s Warbler | Sand Lark |
| Sand Martin (Collared Sand Martin) | Greenish Warbler | Crested Lark |
| Plain Martin | Tytler’s Leaf Warbler | Eurasian Skylark |
| Dusky Crag Martin | Western Crowned Warbler | Oriental Skylark |
| Barn Swallow | 488. Blyth’s Leaf Warbler(Crowned) | Thick-billed Flowerpecker |
| Wire-tailed Swallow | Golden-spectacled Warbler | Pale-billed Flowerpecker |
| Red-rumped Swallow (Striated) | Whistler’s Warbler (Golden-spectacled) | Fire-breasted Flowerpecker |
| Striated Swallow (Larger Striated) | Grey-hooded Warbler | Purple Sunbird |
| Streak-throated Swallow | White-throated Laughingthrush | Mrs Gould’s Sunbird |
| Northern House Martin | White-crested Laughingthrush | Green-tailed Sunbird |
| Asian House Martin (Asian Martin) | Striated Laughingthrush | Crimson Sunbird |
| Goldcrest | Rufous-chinned Laughingthrush | Fire-tailed Sunbird |
| Black-crested Bulbul | Spotted Laughingthrush | House Sparrow |
| Red-whiskered Bulbul | Streaked Laughingthrush | Russet Sparrow |
| White-eared Bulbul | Variegated Laughingthrush | Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Tree Sparrow) |
| Himalayan Bulbul | Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush | Chestnut-shouldered Petronia |
| Red-vented Bulbul | Puff-throated Babbler (Spotted Babbler) | Forest Wagtail |
| Mountain Bulbul | Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler | White Wagtail (Pied Wagtail) |
| Black Bulbul (Gray) | White-browed Scimitar Babbler | White Wagtail (Pied Wagtail) |
| Zitting Cisticola | Scaly-breasted Wren Babbler | White Wagtail (Pied Wagtail) |
| Striated Prinia | Nepal Wren Babbler | White-browed Wagtail |
| Hill Prinia | Black-chinned Babbler | Citrine Wagtail |
| Grey-breasted Prinia | Tawny-bellied Babbler | Citrine Wagtail |
| Jungle Prinia | Yellow-eyed Babbler | Yellow Wagtail |
| Ashy Prinia | Common Babbler | Grey Wagtail |
| Plain Prinia | Striated Babbler | Paddyfield Pipit (Indian Pipit) |
| Oriental White-eye | Large Grey Babbler | Tawny Pipit |
| Chestnut-headed Tesia | Jungle Babbler | Blyth’s Pipit |
| Pale-footed Bush Warbler | Silver-eared Mesia | Long-billed Pipit (Brown Rock pipit) |
| Brownish-flanked Bush Warbler | Red-billed Leiothrix (Pekin Robin) | Tree Pipit (Eurasian Tree Pipit) |
| Aberrant Bush Warbler | White-browed Shrike Babbler | Olive-backed Pipit |
| Grey-sided Bush Warbler | Green Shrike Babbler | Rosy Pipit |
| Upland Pipit | Red Avadavat (Red Munia) | Red Crossbill (Crossbill) |
| Alpine Accentor | Indian Silverbill | Brown Bullfinch |
| Altai Accentor | White-rumped Munia (White-backed Munia) | Red-headed Bullfinch |
| Robin Accentor | Scaly-breasted Munia | Black-and-yellow Grosbeak |
| Rufous-breasted Accentor | Black-headed Munia | Collared Grosbeak (Allied Grosbeak) |
| Brown Accentor | Fire-fronted Serin | Spot-winged Grosbeak |
| Black-throated Accentor | Yellow-breasted Greenfinch | Crested Bunting |
| Black-breasted Weaver | European Goldfinch | Pine Bunting |
| Baya Weaver (Baya) | Plain Mountain Finch | Rock Bunting |
| Dark-breasted Rosefinch | Spectacled Finch | Grey-necked Bunting |
| Common Rosefinch | White-capped Bunting | |
| Beautiful Rosefinch | Chestnut-eared Bunting | |
| Pink-browed Rosefinch | Black-headed Bunting | |
| Scarlet Finch | Red-headed Bunting |
