Nepal is a bird watchers' paradise with national parks and conservation areas making up a large part of its territory. More than 850 species of birds are found in Nepal, and surprisingly a good number of these birds can be spotted in and around the Kathmandu Valley alone. Bird watching is possible in any corner of Nepal, be it in the sweltering plains where Koshi Tappu, Chitwan and Bardiya are the main sites while in the mountainous region, the Everest and Annapurna regions boast other well-known species of birds. The Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve in the eastern Terai is the place to be. Bird watchers cannot miss this wonderful reserve which abounds in birds of all kinds. It's a place where one sees trees packed with birds as if posing for a photograph.
The hills around Kathmandu valley especially Nagarjun, Godavari and Phulchowki are popular bird watching areas and the Taudaha Lake on the way to Dakshinkali is ideal for watching migratory water fowl during the winter months.
The higher Himalayan regions are home to a wide array of raptors and birds of prey, boasting a diverse range of species. But Koshi Tappu has better sightings of an incredible variety of both resident and migratory birds that come from as far away as Siberia. Nepal’s national bird is the lophophorous, Impeyen Pheasant locally called Danphe which is found in the Himalayan region. Bird watching trips are organized by most resorts and are accompanied by experienced naturalists.
Nepal Tourism Board is a national tourism organization of Nepal established in 1998 by an Act of Parliament in the form of partnership between the Government of Nepal and private sector tourism industry to develop and market Nepal as an attractive tourist destination. The Board provides platform for vision-drawn leadership for Nepal’s tourism sector by integrating Government commitment with the dynamism of private sector.