Bird Walk at Akherajji Lake, Jodhpur, RJ

About Akherajji Lake

In the arid Marwar country around Jodhpur, a waterbody like Akherajji Lake functions less as scenery and more as a lifeline. Like the region’s other traditional talabs, it collects and holds monsoon run-off (and often groundwater seepage) through the long dry months, creating a rare patch of open water, reeds, and damp margins in a landscape otherwise dominated by thorny scrub, babool, and sand. That contrast between parched surroundings and a living wetland is precisely what makes such lakes disproportionately important for wildlife across the Thar region.

The bird list bears this out handsomely — ducks such as the Knob-billed Duck and Spot-billed Duck share the water with herons, egrets, ibises, moorhens, coots, and grebes, while Pied and Common Kingfishers work the edges and Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse fly in from the surrounding scrub to drink. Wetlands of this kind across Rajasthan face a common set of threats — falling groundwater tables, siltation, encroachment for farming or construction, and grazing pressure on their fringes — all made sharper by the region’s low and erratic rainfall, which puts a premium on protecting whatever water bodies survive.

Bird walk Location

Common birds of Akherajji Lake

Akherajji Lake’s bird list reads like a cross-section of desert wetland life, with ducks, herons, and desert specialists all sharing the same modest stretch of water. Knob-billed and Spot-billed Ducks glide across the open water while a Red-collared Dove calls from the scrub nearby. Herons stand tall and still at the margins — the Purple Heron, Grey Heron, and the ever-present Pond Heron among them — alongside a Grey-headed Swamphen picking through the reeds. Kingfishers work the shoreline in force, with the Pied Kingfisher, Common Kingfisher, and White-throated Kingfisher all on the wing, while flocks of Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse fly in from the surrounding scrub to drink, a sight unique to this kind of desert oasis. Ibises and egrets round out the wetland’s core community — the Black-headed Ibis, Glossy Ibis, Greater Egret, Little Egret, and Cattle Egret — and a supporting cast of Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Little Grebe, and Oriental Darter fill out the water’s edge, making this small talab a surprisingly complete slice of Marwar birdlife.

Summary of Walk

Thirteen enthusiastic participants joined guide Harshvardhan Singh Rathore at Akherajji Lake in Jodhpur for a two-hour walk that covered close to two kilometres around both sides of the water body, taking in the lake’s open water, marshy fringes, and surrounding scrubland. The habitat proved productive across the board, drawing in residents, migratory visitors, and passage migrants alike, and the group stayed engaged and disciplined throughout, moving carefully to avoid disturbing the birds while maximising sighting opportunities along the full length of the shoreline.
The walk yielded 46 recorded species in total, with a Jacobin Cuckoo and a Common Kingfisher standing out as the clearest highlights of the morning, alongside a Knob-billed Duck that added a welcome splash of variety to the waterbird count on the lake’s far bank. Harshvardhan noted that the well-behaved and genuinely curious group made the session especially enjoyable, with everyone showing sincere interest in birdwatching rather than treating it as a casual outing. The combination of a productive lake habitat, favourable timing, and an attentive group made for a thoroughly rewarding and well-rounded walk in the arid Jodhpur countryside, and several participants asked about returning during the winter migratory season to see how the species mix would change.

Number of Participants

Bird Walk at Akherajji Lake, Jodhpur, RJ

About Akherajji Lake

Bird Guide: Harshvardhan Singh Rathore

Bird walk Location

Common birds of Akherajji Lake

Knob-billed Duck

Indian Spot-billed Duck

Eurasian Red-collared Dove

Purple Heron

Grey Heron

Grey-headed Swamphen

Pied Kingfisher

Common Kingfisher

White-throated Kingfisher

Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse

Black-headed Ibis

Glossy Ibis

Great Egret

Little Egret

Cattle Egret

Pond Heron

Common Moorhen

Eurasian Coot

Little Grebe

Oriental Darter

Summary of Walk

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