If you are lucky, you will spot giant flying squirrels, Arunachal Macaques, Gaurs and Elephants during your birding expeditions.Īpart from birding, one can study butterflies here, see rhododendrons during the spring season, see the vibrant fall colours in November, enjoy waking up to the sun rising over the snow capped mountains of the Himalayas or huddle around the campfire on chilly nights while listening to the stories of the land.Įaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary is an absolute joy to the senses and a treat to the eyes.

In addition to these small bird species, Eaglenest has the unique distinction of having three tragopan species. Nuthatches, Pittas, Yuhinas, Milnas, Trogons and Sibias give you company as you make your daily walk through this forest. If you are patient, you will spot birds that you will not come across anywhere in India except in the color palettes of birding books. With at least 454 species of birds here, birding is the major attraction here. To me, it is surreal Himalayan sunrises, pristine Himalayan forests, colorful small birds, vibrant butterflies, giant flying squirrels, stories of marauding elephants and plenty of birding walks through bamboo thickets and forests. But, for me, Eaglenest is more than just one bird. This bird was named Bugun liocichla after the Bugun community that lives in this forest. It’s call to fame was a new bird species that was discovered here in 2006 by amateur birder and astrophysicist Ramana Athreya. A part of the Kameng Elephant reserve, it conjoins Sessa Orchid sanctuary to the north-east and Pakhui Tiger Reserve across the Kameng river to the east. This diversity in altitude range gives birth to a wide variety of flora and which in turn attracts many birds, herpetofauna, mammals and butterflies. Made up of sub-tropical forests, evergreen forests and bamboo forests, shrubs and thickets, the beauty of Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary lies in its wide altitude range (500 m to 3,250 metres). I am talking about the extremely off-beat and hidden Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary that is located in the Himalayan foothills of West Kameng district, Arunachal Pradesh. One can see the most surreal sunrises of the Eastern Himalayas here. It is an integral part of the elephant corridor in the Eastern Himalayas. Here lies the mystery of the name Eagle Nest, said Brig Prasad who now lives in Guwahati.It is one of India’s best birding hotspots.

The association of this insignia got imprinted in the memory of the local population and, in the times to come, they named a pass Eagle Nest’ after it, and the area was notified as Eagle Nest Wildlife Sanctuary in 1989.

The insignia was worn by all the troops as arm patches and it was also painted on their equipment and vehicles, Brig (Retd) Sundar Prasad who served the Army division later told PTI. Members of local tribes such as Sherdukpen, Bugun and Monpa were then isolated from the modern civilisation and had low literacy rates.Īs the army men passed by their houses and fields, they could only identify them with their formation sign the Red Eagle. The Red Eagle Division was deployed in the Kameng Sector during the 1962 war. But local people had watched personnel of the 4th Infantry Division of the Indian Army, also known as the Red Eagle division, due to its insignia, advance in the area during the Chinese aggression in 1962.

Eye of the eagle wildlife sanctuary