Bird Walk at Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, Bhopal, MP
- Bhopal
- 1 February, 2026
- Ankit Malviya
About Indira Gandhi Rasthtriya Manav Sangrahalaya
Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya (IGRMS), or the National Museum of Mankind, is located on the picturesque Shyamla Hills in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Established in 1977, this unique anthropological museum sprawls across nearly 200 acres overlooking the Upper Lake, making it one of the largest open-air museums in Asia. Designed to showcase the evolution of humankind and the diversity of Indian cultural traditions, the museum integrates both indoor galleries and expansive outdoor exhibits.
The museum highlights the living heritage of tribal and folk communities through life-sized dwellings, reconstructed villages, and thematic exhibitions on rituals, crafts, and ecological adaptations. With more than 80 open-air displays and collections from across India, IGRMS provides an immersive experience into the coexistence of people, culture, and nature. Beyond its role as a repository of heritage, it also functions as a center for research, documentation, and cultural dialogue. Despite challenges of modernization and changing lifestyles, the museum remains a vibrant space where the richness of India’s human story is preserved and celebrated within a natural landscape.
Bird Guide: Ankit Malviya
He is a naturalist, bird guide, wildlife photographer from Bhopal. Birding since last 7 years and loves to share exciting bird stories and knowledge with everyone.
Bird walk Location
Common birds of IGRMS
Spread across nearly 200 acres of natural hill slopes overlooking the Upper Lake, the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya (IGRMS) offers a unique blend of cultural heritage and biodiversity. Its wooded landscape, open-air exhibits, and patches of scrub and grasslands provide a mosaic of habitats that attract a wide range of bird species. Early mornings often echo with the calls of barbets, bulbuls, and drongos, while the shaded groves shelter species like parakeets, treepies, and cuckoos. Raptors such as kites and shikras are frequently sighted soaring above the open areas, taking advantage of the museum’s proximity to the lake and urban green spaces.
During the winter months, the adjoining Upper Lake draws large numbers of migratory waterbirds, many of which can also be observed from within the museum premises. Species such as common hawk cuckoo, indian grey hornbill, greater coucal, subirds are regular visitors, while flocks of gulls and terns enliven the waterscape. Together, the resident woodland birds and the seasonal migrants make IGRMS not just a cultural treasure but also a vibrant birdwatching destination, where art, history, and ecology seamlessly converge.
Coppersmith Barbet
Marsh Harrier
Black Kite
Grey-headed Swamphen
River Tern
Laughing Dove
Spotted Dove
Red-wattled Lapwing
Wire-tailed Swallow
Long-tailed Shrike
Indian Pond Heron
Purple Heron
White-throated Kingfisher
Grey Wagtail
White-breasted Waterhen
Little Cormorant
Golden Oriole
Indian Roller
Asian Pied Starling
Cotton Pygmy Goose
Summary of Walk
A 3-hour bird walk at Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, Bhopal, led by bird expert Ankit Malviya, brought together 14 participants for an enriching exploration of diverse habitats. The walk recorded 50 bird species, showcasing a mix of resident and migratory birds across wetland, grassland, and wooded areas within the museum campus.
Notable sightings included Western Marsh Harrier, River Tern, Sarus Crane, Greater Spotted Eagle, Indian Golden Oriole, and Knob-billed Duck. Ankit guided participants through bird identification techniques and habitat understanding, making the walk both educational and engaging. The extended duration allowed ample time for observation, discussion, and appreciation of the site’s ecological value.
Number of Participants
0
