Bhutan has 760 recorded bird species, more than Europe’s or the two Americas combined. In fact, its avifauna is the treasure trove of the entire eastern Himalayas, harboring some 70-plus endangered and rare species. Among its prized species are the White-bellied Heron, critically endangered and numbering number just under 30 in the entire planet, Black-necked Crane, and a range of monals, tragopans, hornbills, babblers and warblers.
Tingtibhi in central and Lingmithang in eastern Bhutan are much sought after today as birding “hotspots” while the rest of Bhutan, from the warm southern foothills to the chilly alpine region, host bird varieties that ornithologists would only dream of.