| There is every chance of seeing a tiger on early
morning elephant rides, or from vehicles both in the morning
or evening.
Barasingha Deer, the star attraction of Kanha, often adorn
their antlers with tufts of grass in the rutting season. They
are not exactly easy to see, but sightings are possible. Once
restricted to the Kanha meadows, the deer can now be seen
in other meadows as well.
Leopards, sloth bear, wild dog (Dhole) and the mongoose are
usually encountered with difficulty. Jackals are more frequently
seen patrolling their turf, usually in search of fawn or other
small prey.
Gaur prefer highlands and the most reliable sightings are
to be had in the Mukki range. Only the largest tigers will
try to bring down a bull Gaur.
Chital deer can be seen in herds numbering hundreds. Wild
boar, preyed upon by leopards and tigers, are common almost
everywhere. Four-horned antelope or chausingha, blackbuck
and nilgai can also be seen, but less frequently.
The Hanuman langur (a primate) and palm squirrels are ubiquitous.
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| Kanha is a birdwatcher's dream come true. Get
yourself a good bird book before you arrive and a checklist
of the birds of Kanha (300 species), which should be available
from the office of the Field Director. Binoculars are a must.
Both migrant and resident avians are found here in winter. Some
visitors choose to stay away from the best frequented tourist
routes just to listen to early morning birdcalls.
Dabchicks, egrets, whitenecked storks, lesser adjutants,
black ibis and blackwinged stilts are among the more common
species to be seen near waterbodies or streams near Kanha,
Sonph, Kisli and Mukki.
Resident raptors such as the crested serpent eagle, crested
hawk eagle, crested honey buzzard, shikra and kestrel can
be sighted hunting and nesting in magnificent, tall trees.
Nocturnal birds including nightjars, barn owls and brown fish
owls may also be spotted.
Whitebacked, longbilled and Egyptian vultures can be seen
on the remains of carnivore kills. Since 1999, when worrisome
reports of vulture deaths began to pour in from different
parts of India, naturalists are keeping a strict lookout for
the early signs (a drooping neck display) of possible viral
infections.
Junglefowl, grey and painted partridge, Alexandrine parakeets,
koels, kingfishers, woodpeckers, bulbuls and redwattled Lapwings
are common. Hornbills nest in old-growth trees. Mynas, five
species of dove, tree pies, bushchat and warblers are common.
There is every chance of being treated to the spectacle of
a dancing peafowl, especially in the weeks leading up to the
monsoons in April-June.
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