According to different methods of taxonomy, the total amount of bird species residing in Tibet, that is ever recorded, constantly changes and updates. But undoubtedly the figure ranges from 500 to 600. Most of the bird habitats are concentrated in the drainage basin areas of Yarlung Tsangpo River and its two streams Lhasa River and Nianchu River, where the temperature is warm and mild, and the abundant crops leftover after the harvest ensure sufficient food for them to spend their breeding season in summer and survive winter.
Dzongyab Lukhang Park in the back of Potala Palace
Widely known, winter is the best season to go bird-watching for the large amount of winter migratory birds in Tibet. Unlike the breeding season, when birds have wider range of choices to find breeding grounds, therefore, large flocks are not frequently to be spotted in one place, winter with rougher climate limits the range of the suitable habitats. As a result, large flocks of birds can be more often to be observed in a certain area.
One unique feature of Tibetan birds is that some of them migrate to the area of Lhasa and around to spend winter during the period from November to April, and when it gets warmer in March and April, they would travel northwards back to their breeding grounds which are located in the Changtang Plains or even further north.
But Tibet has such a large variety of bird life, that you can basically quest some of the endemic bird species all year around. Below we'll give an introduction about the most approachable bird-watching spots and suitable time for each to go birding.
Lhasa City Area:
Best season: from late October to April
Spots: Norbulingka Park, Dzongyab Lukhang Park, the Lalu Wetland Nature Reserve, the Lhasa River Basin
Bird Species: Derbyan Parakeet, Streaked Rosefinch, White-browed Tit-Warbler, Black-necked Crane, etc.
Facts about birdlife in Lhasa and around:
Every winter, when Tibet has entered into the quiet season and Lhasa has more pilgrims than tourists, it is also the jolly return period for the winter migratory birds. Flocks of Ruddy Shelducks and Wild ducks traveling from the North Tibet spend their winter in the Lhasa River Basin. In the urban area, parks with artificial lakes are the best bird-watching spots for birders. And a little further away from city, the Lalu Wetland Nature Reserve, is a heavenly winter ground for Ruddy Shelduck, Tibetan Sandgrouse, Bar-headed Goose, lark, skylark, hoopoe, small amount of Black-necked Crane and other wild birdlife.
Recommended Reason: These bird-watching spots are within easiest reach from Lhasa, and distance between one and another is also quite short.
Black-necked Crane
Linzhou County (or Lhünzhub County)
Location: 65 km north of Lhasa
Best season: late October to April; December is believed the best time
Spots: Hutoushan Reservoir, Kazi Township, Chundui Township, the Pengbo Black-necked Crane Nature Reserve
Bird Species: Black-necked Crane, Ruddy Shelduck, Bar-headed Goose, etc.
Facts about Birdlife in Linzhou County:
Linzhou County is an important winter ground for the endemic bird, the Black-necked Crane. Their breeding ground is in the Changtang Nature Reserve, which is located in the North Tibet. There are about 2,000 Black-necked Cranes migrating to Linzhou County every winter, normally in November, to spend their winter. These winter grounds are mainly distributed in Kazi Township and Chundui Township.
They are the only crane species that breed and reside in the Tibetan Plateau area, and they are also the latest found crane species in the world. They share the bird habitats with other migratory birds such as Ruddy Shelduck, Bar-headed Goose, and so on.
Bar-headed Goose
Xiongse Nunnery
Location: Xiongse Valley, Chushui County, Lhasa City; 30 km from downtown Lhasa
Best season: May and June
Spots: Xiongse Valley
Bird Species: Brown-cheeked Laughingthrush, White-browed Tit-Warbler, Rosefinch, Redstart, Tibetan Eared Pheasant, Snow Pigeon, etc.
Facts about Birdlife in Xiongse Nunnery:
The most commonly seen bird in the Xiongse Valley is Brown-cheeked Laughingthrush. They have bluish grey feathers, slightly overlong tail, and brownish read brows. They can be observed all year round from the bottom to the hilltop of the Xiongse Valley. They adapt well to the prickly shrub vegetation which is typical on the Tibetan Plateau. This might be the reason that their families are prosperous. They are excellent singers. So, in breeding season, they may be recognized vocally first by ornithologists rather than visually. Some birds in this region tend to be confiding, which also applies to many birds in Tibet. Birders may get thrilled by how close they can get with them, and we hope their trust in human beings can be rewarded with respect and kindness.
Yamdrok Lake
Location: 114 km southeast of Lhasa, Nagarze County, Shannan City
Best season: May to July, November
Spots: Bird Island in the lake and the lakeshore areas
Bird Species: Red-headed Gull, Bar-headed Goose, Ruddy Shelduck, Mallard, Streaked Rosefinch, Leucosticte nemoricola, etc.
Facts about Birdlife at Yamdrok Lake: Yamdrok Lake is a freshwater lake home to many wildlife including mammals and birds. Every summer, thousands of Red-headed Gulls migrate to the Bird Island, which is located in the northeastern part of Yamdrok Lake to breed. The Bird Island is also the habitat for Bar-headed Goose and other migratory birds. Boating service is available which enables closer observation. Summer is the breeding time for birds at Yamdrok Lake when you can spot eggs and chicks. But we do hope that prior to your visit, you do abundant researches on how to avoid harm to the birds while birding. November is the great time to observe winter migratory birds.
Ruddy Shelduck
Pangong-tso Lake
Location: 1,263 km northeast of Lhasa; Ngari, Tibet
Best season: May to September
Spots: Islands in the lake
Bird Species: Bar-headed Goose, Brown-headed Gull, Pallas's Gull, Crested Duck, etc.
Facts relevant: There are about a dozen islands in the Pangong-tso Lake, which are the bird habitats for more than 20 species, among which Bar-headed Goose and Brown-headed Gull contribute the biggest population. Boating service is also available for tourists.
Changtang Nature Reserve
Location: Ngari, Tibet; located on the northern plateau.
Best season: early Spring/Summer
Spots: lakeshores in the reserve region
Bird Species: Black-necked Cranes (breeding), Gyps himalayensis
Facts relevant:
In the southern parts of Changtang Nature Reserve are scattered many lakes, which are connected by a multitude of streams, forming many wetlands on the lakeshores and banks of rivers. These wetlands belong to the birds. They take Changtang as their summer breeding ground. The dominant birdlife in this region includes Black-necked Cranes, a wide range of ducks, and so on.
Changtang Nature Reserve
