Bird Walk at Soccoro Plateau, Goa
- Goa
- 6 June, 2026
- Joel Fernandes
About Soccoro Plateau
Perched quietly in North Goa, the Socorro Plateau is a striking lateritic landscape that defies the usual image of lush coastal forests. Spread across undulating rocky grasslands, seasonal wetlands, and scrubby vegetation, this plateau transforms dramatically with the seasons, turning into a vibrant green carpet during the monsoon and a golden expanse in the dry months. Despite its seemingly sparse appearance, it harbours a rich mosaic of life: delicate monsoon wildflowers, grasses, shrubs, and microhabitats that support insects, amphibians, reptiles, and small mammals. These elevated plateaus act as ecological corridors, offering space for feeding, nesting, and refuge, making them surprisingly dynamic ecosystems within Goa’s biodiversity rich landscape
For birders, Socorro Plateau is an underrated gem, with over 200 species of resident and migratory birds recorded from grassland specialists to seasonal visitors that rely on these open habitats. The wide skies and open terrain create perfect conditions for spotting larks, pipits, raptors, and passage migrants. However, this fragile ecosystem is under growing threat. Rapid urbanisation, industrial expansion, and land conversion are steadily eroding these plateaus, often dismissed as “wastelands” despite their ecological importance. Disturbance of topsoil, habitat fragmentation, and developmental pressures are putting both flora and avifauna at risk, making conservation of places like Socorro Plateau not just important, but urgent.
Bird Guide: Joel Fernandes
Birder with over a year of experience, having recorded around 270 species, including 258 on eBird (Goa), reflecting a growing passion for observing and documenting birds.
Bird walk Location
Common birds of Soccoro Plateau
Socorro Plateau reveals its richness not in sheer numbers alone, but in the diversity of birds that bring its open skies and scrubby edges to life. From the stately Indian Peafowl moving gracefully through the grasslands to the striking Malabar Pied Hornbill crossing overhead, every sighting tells a story of this unique habitat. The calls of Asian Koel echo across the plateau, while flashes of colour from Indian Pitta and Indian Golden Oriole add vibrancy to the landscape. Raptors like the Crested Serpent Eagle and Brahminy Kite soar above, keeping watch over a thriving ecosystem below. Meanwhile, smaller birds from the agile Asian Green Bee-eater to the ever-active Black Drongo fill the air with movement and energy. Seasonal visitors like swallows sweep across the sky in graceful arcs, making the plateau a dynamic space where resident and migratory species coexist, reflecting the ecological importance of this often-overlooked landscape.
Indian Peafowl
Greater Coucal
Asian Koel
White-breasted Waterhen
Red-wattled Lapwing
Crested Serpent Eagle
Black Kite
Brahminy Kite
White-throated Kingfisher
Coppersmith Barbet
White-cheeked Barbet
Plum-headed Parakeet
Indian Pitta
Common Iora
Common Tailorbird
Grey-breasted Prinia
Ashy Prinia
Eastern Red-rumped Swallow
White-browed Bulbul
Purple Sunbird
Summary of Walk
The Socorro Plateau walk explored both forest and open plateau habitats with 10 participants. Early sightings included cormorants and parakeets, followed by diverse species like bulbuls and prinias.
Highlights included Yellow-wattled Lapwing (a lifer for many), Pied Cuckoo, Grey-bellied Cuckoo, and Crested Serpent Eagle. The mix of habitats made the walk dynamic and species-rich.
Number of Participants
0
