Bird Walk at Okhla Bird Sanctuary, Noida (Delhi NCR)
- Delhi NCR
- 7 December, 2025
- Midori Walks
About Okhla Bird Sanctuary
Okhla Bird Sanctuary, spread along the Yamuna’s floodplain at the Delhi–Noida border, is a rare wetland refuge cradled within one of India’s busiest urban corridors. Its mosaic of shallow marshes, deep-water channels, mudflats, and reedbeds creates a living tapestry where water glints through tall grasses and the skyline quietly softens. Despite being surrounded by expressways and high-rises, the sanctuary breathes with wildness—painted storks lifting off in slow, deliberate strokes, ducks stitching patterns across the winter waters, and reed-warblers vanishing into whispering reeds. For city dwellers, Okhla serves as an accessible doorway into the quiet rhythms of a wetland ecosystem, offering space to walk, watch, breathe, and remember how water shapes life.
Ecologically, Okhla is one of the most important bird habitats in the NCR, supporting both resident species and thousands of migratory birds that arrive each winter along the Central Asian Flyway. Its marshes host everything from herons, egrets, and cormorants to jacanas, stilts, kingfishers, and raptors that patrol the edges. Yet the sanctuary is constantly under pressure—polluted inflow from upstream, shrinking wetland patches, noise, and urban expansion all challenge its resilience. Strengthening sewage treatment, protecting reedbeds, regulating visitor flow, and restoring natural hydrology can help Okhla retain its character as a thriving urban biodiversity hotspot. In a region starved of natural wetlands, the sanctuary stands as a reminder of what careful conservation within a city can still protect.
Partnered with
Bird Guide: Mansi
Nature educator and birding guide with Midori Walks, Mansi blends ecology and mindfulness to create enriching outdoor experiences in urban green spaces.
Bird walk Location
Common birds of Okhla Bird Sanctuary
With 346 species recorded so far, Okhla Bird Sanctuary hums with the energy of ducks, waders, reedbirds, and soaring winter migrants that pour into its marshes each season. Winter waters shimmer with Green-winged Teals, Northern Pintails, Northern Shovelers, Gadwalls, Tufted Ducks, Common Pochards, and occasional flocks of Bar-headed and Greylag Geese, while the edges stay busy with Eurasian Coots, Black-winged Stilts, Wood Sandpipers, and elegant Medium Egrets sweeping the shallows. Over the lake, Black-headed Gulls and Oriental Darters cut through the air, and the reedbeds hide small insectivores like the Common Tailorbird. Open patches host Asian Green Bee-eaters, Gray-throated Martins, and ever-present House Crows, while towering figures like Painted Storks and Knob-billed Ducks give the marsh its striking silhouettes. Together, these birds turn Okhla into one of NCR’s richest and most dynamic birdlife theatres.
Ashy Prinia
Red-vented Bulbul
Oriental Magpie Robin
Brown-headed Barbet
Yellow-footed Green Pigeon
Asian Pied Starling
Coppersmith Barbet
Black Drongo
Eurasian-collared Dove
Rose-ringed Parakeet
White-throated Kingfisher
Common Myna
Eastern Cattle Egret
Large Grey Babbler
Purple Sunbird
Black Kite
Shikra
Indian Pond Heron
Red-wattled Lapwing
Asian Koel
Summary of Walk
The bird walk at Okhla Bird Sanctuary, Noida, led by the Midori Walk team—bird guides Mansi, Yashita, and Aanchal—saw a full and enthusiastic turnout, despite a few initial hiccups in reaching the location. The session began with a warm and imaginative icebreaker where participants shared the places they would choose to migrate to if they were birds. As the group moved deeper into the wetland, many were reminded of their childhood days spent closer to nature, creating a gentle sense of nostalgia. The calm surroundings encouraged everyone to slow down, briefly stepping away from the fast-paced rhythm of daily life.
The walk offered beautiful sightings that left the group captivated. They observed Painted Storks actively hunting to feed their young, and a Spot-billed Duck resting peacefully under the shade of low-hanging trees along the shore. A Greylag Goose flying overhead created a striking spectacle against the sky, while the large, synchronized community of Northern Shovelers added an atmosphere of serenity. Under the guidance of the Midori team, participants found themselves fully immersed in nature—sharing stories, reconnecting with the outdoors, and experiencing the joy of birdwatching together.
Number of Participants
0
