Birding Tour India: Andaman Islands Endemics

This short (five day) birdwatching trip will focus on the endemic birds found on the Andaman Islands, part of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands archipelago. We will be based on South Andaman Island during the tour which is situated approximately 680 miles (1,100 kilometers) to the east of the Indian subcontinent. Although a union territory of and governed by India, the archipelago is actually geographically closer to Myanmar (formerly Burma), which is approximately 250 miles (400 kilometers) to the north and approximately c. 450 miles (700 kilometers) to the east. Sumatra (part of Indonesia) is approximately 300 miles (500 kilometers) to the south. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are surrounded by the Bay of Bengal to the west and the Andaman Sea to the east.

We will look for the gorgeous endemic Andaman Woodpecker during this tour.

Due to the remote location and age of these islands a number of endemic birds have evolved here, and these are the main targets of the tour and will include Andaman Teal, Andaman Nightjar, Andaman Coucal, Andaman Wood Pigeon, Andaman Cuckoo-Dove, Andaman Green Pigeon, Andaman Crake, Andaman Serpent Eagle, Andaman Masked Owl, Andaman Scops Owl, Hume’s Boobook, Andaman Boobook, Andaman Woodpecker, Andaman Cuckooshrike, Andaman Drongo, Andaman Treepie, Andaman Bulbul, White-headed Starling, Andaman Shama, and Andaman Flowerpecker. Pristine forest still remains in some areas, and we will spend the majority of our time in these areas, such as Chidiya Tapu and Mount Manipur (Harriet) National Park, where the vast majority of our endemic target birds occur. We will also be sure to visit other habitats, such as the Sippighat swamps, Shoal Bay, and other locations where we will check waterbodies, swamps, mangrove forests, and mudflats for a wide assortment of birds.

Andaman Scops Owl is another of our endemic targets.

Other species we may see have distinct endemic subspecies that may warrant full species status in the future, such as Oriental Scops Owl, Crested Serpent Eagle, Collared Kingfisher, Ruddy Kingfisher, Long-tailed Parakeet, Black-naped Oriole, Scarlet Minivet, and Indian White-eye to name a few, and there is an interesting range of Southeast Asian species possible too, such as Violet Cuckoo, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, and Red-breasted Parakeet, with the island having an Indo-Malayan birdlife.

Andaman Nightjar, yet another nocturnal species we will search for on the Andaman Islands.