You are currently browsing the category archive for the ‘Central Park, Jaipur’ category.
Central Park, Jaipur’s main or most popular park, located more or less in the centre of Jaipur city (capital of Rajasthan, India), was developed by Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) and thrown open to public about 5 years ago. It consists of a large ‘garden’ section in the north portion, Rambagh Golf Club in the centre and Rambagh Polo ground in the south. A walking trail about 4.5 km long runs along the park periphery and is popular with walkers and joggers. I have been (irregularly) visiting Central Park for evening walks (morning walks on occasions) for the past two years and as a birder couldn’t help looking at birds every time I was there 
Above: Eurasian Collared Doves on a leafless tree at dusk at Central Park.
It did not take me long to identity the best or the ‘healthiest’ section of the park which is rich in bird life. The south-eastern part adjoining Rambagh Palace Hotel and Rambagh Polo ground, that still has some natural vegetation and many old trees (unlike the newly developed ‘garden’ section in the north) is the healthiest.
Above: Old trees and natural vegetation adjacent to Rambagh Polo ground.
The south-eastern walking trail of the park between Rambagh Palace hotel and Rambagh Polo ground is the most productive section of the park for birders.
Above: South-eastern walking trail of Central Park, Jaipur.
Here is a list of birds I have seen at the park in the past two years (2007-2009) without too much effort to fish out new species! Nothing really exciting except perhaps Grey Nightjar (Caprimulgus indicus) that I heard calling on several occasions at dusk in the month of May 2009. However, Central Park Jaipur can provide a good introduction to common birds of north-west India to new birders or birders visiting India for the first time. The order and names of species mentioned below follow the Grimmett-Inskipp-Inskipp naming convention.
1. Grey Francolin (Francolinus pondicerianus) Resident, Common, Breeding
2. Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus), Resident, Common, Breeding
3. Black-rumped Flameback (Dinopium benghalense) Resident, Occasionally seen
4. Coppersmith Barbet (Megalaima haemacephala) Resident, Occasionally seen
5. Indian Grey Hornbill (Ocyceros birostris) Resident, Common
6. Common Hoopoe (Upupa epops) Uncommon
7. Brown Rock Chat (Cercomela fusca) Resident, Occasionally seen
8. Indian Roller (Coracias benghalensis) Resident, Occasionally seen
9. White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis) Resident, Occasionally seen
10. Green Bee Eater (Merops orientalis) Resident, Common, Breeding
11. Pied Cuckoo (Clamator Jacobinus) Monsoon visitor
12. Common Hawk Cuckoo (Hierococcyx varius) Heard once
13. Asian Koel (Eudynamys scolopacea) Resident, Common
14. Greater Coucal (Centropus sinensis) Resident, Occasionally seen
15. Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri) Resident, Common, Breeding
16. House Swift (Apus affinis) Resident, Common
17. Barn Owl (Tyto alba) Uncommon
18. Spotted Owlet (Athene brama) Resident, Common, Breeding
19. Grey Nightjar (Caprimulgus indicus) Heard on a couple of occasions
20. Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) Resident, Common
21. Laughing Dove (Streptopelia senegalensis) Resident, Common
22. Red Collared Dove (Streptopelia tranquebarica) Resident, Occasionally seen
23. Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) Resident, Common
24. Yellow-footed Green Pigeon (Treron phoenicoptera) Uncommon
25. White-breasted Waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus) Resident, Often heard
26. Red-wattled Lapwing (Vanellus indicus) Resident, Common, Breeding
27. Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus caeruleus) Resident, Common
28. Black Kite (Milvus migrans) Resident, Common
29. Shikra (Accipiter badius) Resident, Common
30. Southern Grey Shrike (Lanius meridionalis) Unommon
31. Rufous Treepie (Dendrocitta vagabunda) Resident, Common
32. House Crow (Corvus splendens) Resident, Common, Breeding
33. Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus) Summer visitor, Breeding
34. Black-headed Cuckooshrike (Coracina melanoptera) Uncommon
35. Black Drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus) Resident, Common, Breeding
36. Common Woodshrike (Tephrodornis pondicerianus) Uncommon
37. Red-throated Flycatcher (Ficedula parva) Winter visitor
38. Grey-headed Canary-flycatcher (Culicicapa ceylonensis) Winter visitor
39. Oriental Magipe Robin (Copsychus saularis) Resident, Occasionally seen
40. Indian Robin (Saxicoloides fulicata) Resident, Occasionally seen
41. Brahminy Starling (Sturnia pagodarum) Resident, Common
42. Rosy Starling (Sturnus roseus) Winter visitor, Common in winters
43. Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) Winter visitor, Uncommon
44. Asian Pied Starling (Gracupica contra) Resident, Common
45. Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis) Resident, Common, Breeding
46. Bank Myna (Aceidotheres ginginianus) Resident, Common
47. Dusky Crag Martin (Hirundo concolor) Occasionally seen
48. Red-rumped Swallow (Hirundo daurica) Occasionally seen
49. Red-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer) Resident, Common
50. Ashy Prinia (Prinia socialis) Resident, Occasionally seen
51. Oriental White Eye (Zosterops palpebrosus) Resident, Uncommon
52. Lesser Whitethroat (Sylvia curruca) Winter visitor, Common in winters
53. Common Tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius) Resident, Common
54. Large Grey Babbler (Turdoides malcolmi) Resident, Common
55. Jungle Babbler (Turdoides striatus) Resident, Common
56. Purple Sunbird (Nectarinia asiatica) Resident, Common
57. House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) Resident, Common
58. White Wagtail (Motacilla alba) Winter visitor
In case I see more species at the park in the future, shall update the list.
A Little Green Bee Eater (Merops orientalis), one of my favourite birds, scouting for prey at Central Park, Jaipur (Rajasthan), India. (Photo date: April 9, 2009)
Have been looking out for Rosy Starlings (Sturnus roseus) in Central Park, Jaipur, for the past few weeks. This evening I heard their murmur coming from a (leafless) tree alongside the eastern walking track and looked up to see about 50 or so birds. Their arrival has coincided with a considerable lowering of temperature in Jaipur today. Rosy Starlings winter in/around Jaipur in large numbers and one of their favourite roosting places is the orchard of Rambagh Palace Hotel, adjacent to the Rambagh Polo Ground. Seeing them noisily collect on trees near the polo ground in large numbers and fly synchronously to roost is a simple but wonderful evening event that I had been missing all summer
