Bharatpur National Park

Officially known as the Keoladeo Ghana National Park, the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary occupies an area of 29 sq km. The park was initially created by the Maharaja of Bharatpur in the 19th century as he desired to save his town from the calamitous flood water. The dam he built left back a depression which was later converted into Bharatpur Lake. The lake served as a hunting preserve for the Maharaja for quiet sometime before it was finally declared a National Park in the year 1982. It gained the status of the World Heritage Site in the year 1985.

The name Keoladeo Ghana National Park draws its name from an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva which is located in the park area itself, Keoladeo. The term Ghana indicates the thickness of the forest which earlier used to occupy the region.

Bharatpur National Park is exceptionally rich in its avifauna. According to various estimations, there are over 400 birds species in Bharatpur National Park that comprises of domestic as well as migratory birds including the rare and world-famous Siberian Cranes. Also known as the 'Keoladeo Ghana National Park', the Park is spread over an area of 29 sq km, 10 sq km of which comprises of fresh water marshes and bogs. The favorable environmental conditions combined with adequate availability of foods at Bharatpur National Park attracts and supports thousands of birds. The variety and the number of birds, the Bharatpur National Park offers, never fail to impress its visitors.

Also famous as the 'Ornithologist's Paradise' among bird lovers all over the world, Bharatpur National Park shelters over 400 species of colorful, exotic and rare birds. The birds found in Bharatpur National Park constitute of both resident and migratory birds. They can further be divided in the category of Water birds and Waterside-birds, birds of prey, night birds, woodland birds, air birds and the Grassland and open ground birds.

The most famous and commonly seen birds in Bharatpur National Park include Pelicans, Cranes, Ibis, Spoonbills, Egrets, Darters, Cormorants, Grey Herons, Stork, Ducks, Eagles, Hawks, Peacocks, Pipits, Warblers, Wheatears, Wagtails, Flycatchers, Buntings, Larks, Shanks, and Stints to name a few. The migratory Siberian Cranes can be spotted during winters.