Bird Walk at Soccoro Plateau, Goa
- Goa
- 10 October, 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
Spotted Dove
Blue-faced Malkoha
Asian Koel
Crested Serpent Eagle
Brahminy Kite
Malabar Pied Hornbill
Asian Green Bee-eater
White-throated Kingfisher
White-cheeked Barbet
Black-rumped Flameback
Indian Pitta
Indian Golden Oriole
Black-hooded Oriole
Common Iora
Black Drongo
Ashy Drongo
Black-naped Monarch
House Crow
Common Tailorbird
Summary of Walk
Nine birders joined guide Joel Fernandes at Socorro Plateau in Goa on Saturday, 10 October, for a walk that began at 7:30 am with an instant sensation: a Long-tailed Shrike appeared right at the entrance, catching everyone’s attention before the walk had even started. After introductions to the Birding Bharat initiative and to one another, the group set off across the open plateau. Soon a Common Cuckoo was observed and its identifying features were discussed in detail, and participants were captivated by the stories of long-distance migration that came with it. Throughout the morning, vagrant and migratory species mingled with a handful of generalist residents, and the group saw or heard 39 species in all. The highlights read like a roll call of the season’s best: the European Roller, a dazzling blue and chestnut visitor from far away; the Black-hooded Oriole, glowing against the foliage; the Long-tailed Shrike, perched confidently on its lookout; and the Mongolian Short-toed Lark, a subtle ground bird that rewards careful observation. Joel shared interesting facts about each bird, explaining how they find their way across continents and why plateau habitats like Socorro are so valuable to them. With a compact group, every question could be answered in detail and every bird could be admired at leisure. The excitement of the participants about the migratory birds was infectious, and the walk was a fine reminder that Goa offers far more to birders than its famous beaches, and that a simple plateau walk can feel like a journey across continents. Participants left with new species on their lists, plenty of photographs and a keen wish to join the next walk.
Number of Participants
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