Uttarakhand’s First Bird Gallery Opens in Dehradun
The research wing of the Uttarakhand Forest Department has established the state’s first bird gallery at the Nature Education Centre, Jolly Grant, in Dehradun. This gallery showcases high-resolution images of Uttarakhand’s birds, offering visitors a captivating display of the state’s diverse bird species.
Highlights of the Bird Gallery
Sanjiv Chaturvedi, IFS, Chief Conservator of Forest (Research), stated, “Bird Gallery is an attempt to highlight Uttarakhand’s avian diversity and promote a greater appreciation for these unique species. By educating visitors about the numerous bird species and their functions in the ecosystem, the gallery would facilitate conservation of these avian species and create awareness about these species.”
Uttarakhand boasts the highest number of bird species reported in India, with over 710 species, which is more than 50 percent of the country’s bird species. Some notable birds found in Uttarakhand include:
- Himalayan Monal: Known for its iridescent plumage and serving as the state bird.
- White-capped Redstart: A striking bird often seen near streams and rivers.
- Himalayan Griffon: A large vulture found in high-altitude regions.
- Rufous-bellied Woodpecker: A vibrant woodpecker species found in forests.
- Black-headed Jay: A colorful and vocal bird commonly seen in wooded areas.
These species are just a few examples of the state’s extensive fauna, making Uttarakhand a haven for bird enthusiasts and researchers.
Gallery Features
For visitors’ convenience, the bird images in the gallery are divided into ten distinctive sections, each representing a different category of birds, such as ground foraging birds, raptors, woodpeckers, water birds, pheasants, migration birds, arboreal birds, bulbuls, kingfishers, and vultures. To enhance the immersive experience, the gallery has a sophisticated sound system that plays the chirping sounds of numerous birds, making the environment more realistic and active.
The gallery also showcases a variety of abandoned bird nests and feathers collected by the team of the Uttarakhand Forest Research Wing, giving visitors a closer look at the unique characteristics of these incredible species.
