Sattal is situated at 1400 MSL in the district of Nainital in Uttrakhand State. It is a hill resort about 14 km uphill from Nainital Town a well-known hill station in India. Though much frequented in the holiday season, Sattal is a famous birding hotspot as well. Known for its seven pristine blue water lakes, it is precisely for this reason and the surrounding forests that the destination supports amazing avian species. Altitude also plays a major role in supporting migrants from high altitudes in the Himalayas and the Pale Arctic.  The destination is also known as that in the foothills of the Himalayas or Terai.   

Pangot at 2100 MSL is another birding hotspot at a distance of 14 km from Nainital Hill Station in the Nainital District of Uttarakhand. It is home to a vast variety of hill birds and high-altitude species from the Himalayas and the Pale Arctic. 

Chir pheasant and the Koklas pheasant are among the most sought-after birds in Pangot and SatTal the former being found in Pangot only.  

Birds of Sat Tal 

The bird seen in the snow-laden treks are: Nilatavas, Himalayan Vultures, Spotted and Slaty Forktails, Grey Winged Thrush, Blue-throated barbet, Blue Winged Minla, Great Barbet, Bronze Drongo, Long-tailed broadbill, Red Billed Liothrix,  Collared owlet, Himalayan and Black Bulbul, Speckled Piculet, Dark-Throated Sunbird, Mountain Serpent Eagle, Verditor Flycatcher,  and Green-tailed Sunbird. In a short trip, you can add the following avians to your list: Greater and Lesser Yellow napes, and Spectacled warblers. Winter Wrens, Bar-winged flycatcher shrike, black-naped flycatcher, Grey Treepies, Blue-fronted redstart,  Maroon Oriole, Laughing thrush, Rufus bellied woodpecker,  Black Winged Cuckoo Shrike, Spot-winged Tits also Black-Lored Tit, Himalayan Bluetail,  Tawny Owl, and Green-backed tit. This is just the beginning of the list of wonderful birds on Sattal once you land up there are more than 300 species to be spotted here. 

Birds of Pangot  

At Pangot the birds abound in the forest glades among the Cidar, Pine, and Oak trees and Juniper Bushes.  On the rugged snow-laden treks you can spot lammergeier, spot winged tit, brown-fronted woodpecker, Himalayan Woodpecker, Rufus bellied woodpecker, Black Eagle,  Himalayan griffon, Upland Pipit, Mountain bulbul, bronzed drongo, hill partridge, lesser racket-tailed drongo, pink-browed rosefinch, mistle thrush, Yuhinas, peregrine falcon, accentors, dark-breasted rosefinch, yellow browed tit, and Blue-winged thrush to name a few. 

Both Sattal and Pangot offer a mesmerizing view of the Himalayan Range and they are panoramic paradises.  

Come Join Us! On Birding Tour of Sattal & Pangot!