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Bhutan stands as a sanctuary for avian biodiversity, offering exceptional opportunities for ornithologists and birding enthusiasts alike. To date, over 670 bird species have been documented within the country’s diverse ecosystems, with many more yet to be formally recorded. Among these, approximately 50 species are winter migrants, including ducks, waders, raptors, thrushes, finches, and buntings. Partial migrants, such as cuckoos, swifts, bee-eaters, warblers, and flycatchers, also frequent Bhutan, taking advantage of its pristine habitats during specific times of the year.

The nation’s rich ecological landscape supports more than 16 species classified as vulnerable, all of which are known to breed within its territory. These include notable species such as the Pallas’s Fish Eagle, White-bellied Heron, Satyr Tragopan, Grey-bellied Tragopan, Ward’s Trogon, Blyth’s Kingfisher, Yellow-rumped Honeyguide, Rufous-throated Wren Babbler, Chestnut-breasted Partridge, Blyth’s Trogon, Wood Snipe, Dark-rumped Swift, Rufous-necked Hornbill, Grey-crowned Prinia, and the Beautiful Nuthatch.

Of particular conservation significance is Bhutan’s role in protecting critically endangered species. The country provides a crucial wintering ground for the Imperial Heron, one of the fifty rarest bird species globally as well as the Black-necked Crane, which migrates from the Tibetan Plateau across the Himalayas each year. These iconic cranes can be observed in key wintering sites, including the Phobjikha Valley (Western Bhutan), Bumthang (Central Bhutan), and Bomdeling (Eastern Bhutan), typically arriving between September and October and departing between February and March. Bhutan’s commitment to conservation, coupled with its unspoiled natural environment, makes it one of the most important and rewarding destinations in the world for avifaunal research and birdwatching.

The list of endangered birds of Bhutan are mentioned below

1. Baer’s Pochard 2. Beautiful Nuthatch 3. Black-necked Crane 4. Black-necked Stork
5. Blackish-breasted Babbler 6. Blyth’s Kingfisher 7. Chestnut-breasted Partridge 8. Dark-rumped Swift
9. Eurasian Curlew 10. Eurasian Peregrine Falcon 11. Ferruginous Duck 12. Gray-crowned PriniaDuck
13. Great Hornbill 14. Imperial Heron 15. Lesser Fish-eagle 16. Palla’s Fish-eagle
17. Pallid Harriergle 18. Rufous-necked Hornbill 19. Rufous-throated Wren-babbler 20. Satyr Tragopan
21. Ward’s Trogon 22. White-bellied Heron 23. White-rumped Vulture 24. White-throated Bushcat
25. Woodsnipe 26. Yellow-rumped Honeyguide

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