Sultanpur National Park - A Paradise for Migratory Birds and Bird Watchers.

 

Sultanpur National Park formerly known as Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary is a very popular national park of India located in Sultanpur village, Farukhnagar, Gurugram. This bird sanctuary, ideal for birding and bird lookers, is best visited in winters when many migratory birds come here. Approximately 250 species of Birds are found at Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary. Some of them are resident, while others come from distant regions like Siberia, Europe and Afghanistan. Among these some of the resident birds are common hoopoe, paddyfield pipit, purple sunbird, little cormorant, pigeons, Indian myna, Eurasian thick-knee, gray francolin, black francolin, Indian roller, white-throated kingfisher, spot billed duck, painted stork, white ibis, black headed ibis, little egret, great egret, cattle egret and the India crested lark. In addition to the many birds, animals such as blue bull, Indian Fox and black buck are also seen here. Trees which are popular with the birds like acacia nilotica, acacia tortilis, berberis and neem have been planted.

 

 

Every year more than 100 migratory bird species arrive at Sultanpur in search of feeding grounds and to pass the winter. In winter the sanctuary provides a picturesque panorama of migratory birds such as Siberian crane, greater flamingo, ruff, black-winged stilt, Eurasian teal, common greenshank, northern pintail, yellow wagtail, white wagtail, northern shoveller, rosy pelican, spot-billed pelican, gadwall, wood sandpiper, spotted sandpiper, Eurasian wigeon, black-tailed godwit, spotted redshank, starling, bluethroat and long-billed pipit. In summer about 11 species of migratory birds such as Asian koel, black-crowned night heron, grey heron, Indian golden oriole, knob-billed duck, blue-cheeked bee-eater, blue-tailed bee-eater and cuckoos come here.

 

 

Sultanpur National Park is 50 kilometres from Delhi and 15 km from Gurugram city on the Gurugram - Jhajjar highway. The park is a popular picnic spot for residents of New Delhi and the NCR (National Capital Region), especially during the winter migration months when thousands of birds visit here from across the globe. To encourage winged creature watching, there are four watch towers situated at various focuses. Moreover, there is satisfactory stopping and offices like washroom and drinking water. The Educational Interpretation Center has been built up here to offer appropriate direction to the adventurers visiting the spot and a library, films, slides and binoculars for the benefit of bird lovers. A walk along the perimeter of the park takes up to two hours. There is a room dedicated to the memory of Dr. Salim Ali, which contains his bust, photographs, write ups, and some of his personal effects. There is public parking, bathrooms, drinking water facilities and a children's park in the reserve. For those wishing to stay overnight, the park also has a well-appointed guest house with all amenities.