BHUTAN TOUR
24 days

At long last, it is possible for our small groups to visit this magnificent country, nestled in the eastern Himalayas. Bhutan, visited by few tourists and relatively unspoiled, has a higher percentage of its area (about 70%) in forest than most other countries in the world. Close to the epicenter of montane bird distribution in Asia, it has an exceedingly rich avifauna, which is little known because few ornithologists or birders have been there. We'll drive about two-thirds of the length of the country from west to east, on a paved road from 500-3,700 m. (1,650-12,400 ft.) in elevation, giving us a superb cross section of the country and its birds. Our highest accommodation will be at about 3,300 m. (11,000 ft.) for one night. Most of our birding will be done from the road, usually walking downhill, making the trip relatively easy physically. Your leader, Ben King, has seen every species known from Bhutan.

We can expect: Mountain Hawk-Eagle, Blood Pheasant, Satyr Tragopan,  Himalayan Monal,  Kalij Pheasant, Ibisbill, Black-tailed Crake, Snow Pigeon, Asian Emerald Cuckoo,  Ward's Trogon,  Rufous-necked Hornbill,  Yellow-rumped Honeyguide,  Golden,  Rufous-breasted and White-browed Bush-Robins, 2 or 3 species of forktails, 5 scimitar-babblers (including Coral-billed and Slender-billed), 7 wren-babblers (including Long-billed, Rufous-throated, Bar-winged, Spotted and Wedge-billed), 10-14 laughingthrushes (including Rufous-chinned, Spotted, Grey-sided, Blue-winged, and Scaly), Red-faced Liocichla, Silver-eared Mesia, Red-billed Leiothrix, Cutia, Black-headed Shrike-Babbler, Golden-breasted and Yellow-throated Fulvettas, 6 yuhinas, Fire-tailed Myzornis, 3-6 parrotbills (Great, Brown, Fulvous, Black-throated, Blue-spectacled and Grey-headed),  Broad-billed  and  Black-faced  Warblers,  Pygmy  Blue  Flycatcher, Rufous-fronted and Sultan Tits, Gould's and Fire-tailed Sunbirds, Scarlet Finch, Brown and Red-headed Bullfinches, and Gold-naped Finch.

Possible are: White-bellied Heron, Hill and Chestnut-breasted Partridges, Long-tailed Broadbill, Blue-fronted Robin, Purple Cochoa, Long-billed Thrush, Sapphire Flycatcher, Beautiful Nuthatch and Spot-winged Grosbeak. We can hope for: Gould's and Rusty-bellied Shortwings, Green Cochoa, Rufous-vented Laughingthrush, Pale-billed (Lesser Rufous-headed) Parrotbill or Collared Treepie. Leader: Ben King.