Wildlife and birds · Fambong Lho Wildlife Sanctuary
Birding morning in Fambong Lho
An early start with a local bird guide in one of the best forest birding sites near Gangtok. Mixed flocks of minlas, barwings and tits, laughingthrushes and scimitar babblers, with chances of the satyr tragopan and other prized species.
Photo: Shiv's fotografia · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Fambong Lho's position, where tropical and temperate forest meet, gives it an unusually long bird list for its size. Records include hill partridge, satyr tragopan, fire-tailed myzornis, bar-throated and red-tailed minlas, black-eared shrike babbler, scaly laughingthrush, streak-breasted scimitar babbler, rusty-fronted barwing, yellow-browed tit, red-headed bullfinch and crimson-browed finch.
We leave Gangtok before dawn and reach the forest edge as the birds start calling. Mixed flocks move through the canopy in the first hours; a good guide hears them coming. Walk slowly, stay together and keep voices low. Never use playback calls, especially in the breeding season from April to June.
Winter, from November to February, brings altitudinal migrants down into the middle forest, while spring brings breeding plumage and song. Bring binoculars, a field guide to Indian birds and warm layers for the cold early start. Combine the morning with a lunch in Gangtok or a visit to Ranka and Lingdum.
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Questions travellers ask
Before you book
What birds can we see in Fambong Lho?
Common species include minlas, laughingthrushes, tits, barwings and scimitar babblers in mixed flocks. With luck and a good guide, you may see the satyr tragopan, hill partridge, fire-tailed myzornis or red-headed bullfinch. A rare hornbill has also been recorded.
When is the best season for birding in Fambong Lho?
October to May is best. Winter brings altitudinal migrants down into the forest and clear mornings; April and May bring breeding plumage and song. Avoid playback in the breeding season. The monsoon, June to September, is wet, leechy and harder for birding.
Can we combine Fambong Lho birding with Kyongnosla?
Yes, on separate days. Fambong Lho covers the middle-altitude forest, from about 1,500 to 2,750 m, while Kyongnosla, on the Tsomgo road, covers the high forest above 3,300 m, where the blood pheasant lives. Two mornings give a good cross-section of Sikkim's forest birds.
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