Bird Walk at AJC Bose Botanical Garden, Kolkata

  • Kolkata
  • 13 September, 2025
  • Tirthankar and Titash

This is bird and butterfly walk.

About AJC Bose Botanical Garden

Nestled along the western bank of the Hooghly River in Howrah, the Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden (AJCBIBG) is a living museum of plant diversity and one of the oldest and largest botanical gardens in India. Established in 1787 by Colonel Robert Kyd of the British East India Company, the garden was originally created to promote the cultivation of economically important plants. Today, spread over an impressive 273 acres, it hosts over 12,000 living plants from across the globe, including some of the rarest and most exotic species.

The garden’s crown jewel is the iconic Great Banyan Tree, often hailed as the largest tree in the world in terms of canopy spread. This more-than-250-year-old botanical wonder covers over 3.5 acres with its sprawling aerial roots, creating the illusion of a miniature forest. The garden boasts extensive collections of palms, orchids, aquatic plants, medicinal species, and towering mahoganies, along with meticulously maintained avenues and water bodies that serve as important habitats for birds, butterflies, and other wildlife. Rich in history and biodiversity, AJCBIBG is not just a recreational escape but also a hub for botanical research and conservation under the Botanical Survey of India. Its role extends beyond preserving plant species—it also provides vital ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, cooling the surrounding area, and supporting urban biodiversity in the bustling Kolkata–Howrah region. For students, researchers, birdwatchers, and casual visitors alike, the garden remains a place where science, history, and natural beauty converge.

Bird Guide - Tirthankar Roy Chowdhury

By profession he is an IT Engineer, at heart a nature enthusiast. He finds joy in observing life in all its forms- from tiny fungi to soaring birds. He lead nature walks that welcome everyone, inspiring children, underprivileged and especially abled to discover the wonder of nature.

Bird Guide - Titash Chakrabarti

Titash is a musician at heart and a nature educator by calling. As the founder of School of Birds, he weaves music, storytelling, and citizen science to make nature learning immersive, accessible, and joyful

Bird walk Location

Common birds of AJC Bose Botanical Garden

With over 180 bird species recorded within its sprawling 273-acre landscape, the Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden (AJCBIBG) is one of eastern India’s most important avian refuges. Its rich mosaic of towering trees, bamboo groves, open lawns, wetlands, and the iconic Great Banyan Tree creates a variety of microhabitats that sustain both resident and migratory birds throughout the year. Common residents such as the Yellow-footed Green-Pigeon, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Lineated Barbet, Coppersmith Barbet, Red-vented Bulbul, Jungle Babbler, and Oriental Magpie-Robin can be seen flitting among the dense canopy or foraging along the leafy avenues. The garden’s water bodies attract Indian Cormorants, Bronze-winged and Pheasant-tailed Jacanas, White-breasted Waterhens, and Indian Pond-Herons, while migratory visitors like Whiskered Terns, Wood Sandpipers, and Common Sandpipers use them as seasonal stopovers.
The diversity extends to raptors such as the Shikra, Black Kite, Oriental Honey-buzzard, and occasional winter visitors like the Booted Eagle and Indian Spotted Eagle—clear indicators of a healthy prey base and functioning ecosystem. In spring and winter, the lush undergrowth comes alive with the songs of Orange-headed Thrushes, Taiga Flycatchers, Blyth’s Reed Warblers, and Yellow-browed Warblers. The garden also shelters more elusive species like the Dollarbird, Thick-billed Green-Pigeon, and Striated Heron, rewarding patient birdwatchers.
Yellow-footed Green-Pigeon
Jungle Babbler
Indian Pond Heron
Common Myna
Black Kite

Little Cormorant
Red-vented Bulbul
Eurasian Moorhen
Eastern Cattle Egret
Coppersmith Barbet
Alexandrine Parakeet
Rose-ringed Parakeet
Asian Green Bee-eater
Black Drongo
House Crow
Asian Koel
White-throated Kingfisher
Black-crowned Night Heron
Purple Sunbird
Spotted Owlet

Summary of Walk

AJC Bose Botanic Garden in Kolkata hosted an engaging bird walk on 13 September, organised in collaboration with the BWS School of Birds, with 13 participants led by guides Tirthankar Roy Chowdhury and Titash Chakrabarti. The group spanned a wide age range, from a three-year-old to a fifty-year-old, along with a few zoology students, and — in a nod to Big Butterfly Month — took time to appreciate butterflies alongside the birds. The walk yielded 26 species, with a Striated Heron (uncommon in the city), a Shikra, and an Oriental Darter among the highlights. Some unexpected delights included turtles basking in the sun and a touch-me-not plant that fascinated the younger participants with its leaf movement. The best moment came when the group heard a mixed flock of parakeets, Jungle Babblers, and Common Mynas calling loudly, and turned to see a Shikra swoop in for a hunting attempt — a thrilling first for many in the group, even though the hunt itself wasn’t successful.
Number of Participants
0
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ATAAVI Bird Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering a deeper connection between people and the avian diversity of India. Through advocacy, education and conservation efforts, we strive to increase awareness and appreciation for birds across communities.

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