Eagle Nest Sanctuary

Here the Birders' fantasy becomes a reality

Eaglenest, a magical world for serious bird lovers from across the globe, lies in the remote terrain in the Western Arunachal Pradesh with proximity to Bhutan Hills in the west. Most inaccessible and hardly explored areas have made Eagle Nest Wildlife Sanctuary a hidden territory and a best-kept secret in Arunachal.

This area was not known to the outside people even before 2006 when an amateur bird enthusiast, Mr Ramana Athreya, discovered a new bird species in this area. This bird came to fame as Bugun Liocichla, which was named after the local Bugun Tribe residing in the surrounding villages. Soon after this discovery, Eagle Nest started drawing the attention of the Indian and international ornithologists, bird watchers, researchers and photographers. This sanctuary is now one of the most Important Bird Areas (IBA) and a global birding hotspot.

The unbroken, primitive forests with a dense canopy covering an area of 218 sq km consist of different vegetational types ranging from sub-tropical, evergreen broadleaf, montane and sub-alpine forests. The altitude varies from 600 meters to 2800 meters at Eagle Nest Pass – the highest point in the sanctuary. This massive variation in the vegetation and elevation provides an ideal habitat for about 500 bird species, which have been recorded so far in and around Eagle Nest Sanctuary.

Many of the species available here are extremely difficult to spot in other parts of the Himalayas or are on the verge of extinction. Apart from Bugun Liocichla, other notable species that make this a dream destination for bird lovers and photographers are Ward Trogon, Beautiful Nuthatch, several species of Wren-Babbler and Laughing Thrush, Grey Peacock Pheasant, Blyth’s Tragopan, and Temminck’s Tragopan.

Apart from the prized list of birds, Eagle Nest is also an exciting place for wildlife and butterfly lovers. Besides the common mammals like elephant, deer and bison, Egalenest is home to many rare species, like Clouded Leopard, Golden Cat, Slow Loris, Red Panda, Himalayan Serow and a recently discovered Bhutan Giant Squirrel. Even Spotted Linsang and marbled cat – two extremely endangered cat species are recorded in the Sanctuary. Most of the mammals can be seen during early dawn or dusk. A new primate, known as Arunachal Macaque, was identified here in 2003. Many rare butterflies, including Bhutan Glory and Kaiser-I-Hind, can be seen in Egalenest. The rich biodiversity with an extraordinary collection of flora and fauna made this area a top choice for zoologists, nature lovers, wildlife enthusiasts and photographers.