GARBHANGA RESERVE FOREST, ASSAM, INDIA.

It is not only the sound of the Basistha River that makes a soothing effect in the minds of the people but also you are welcomed by the myriad musical notes of the hundreds of species of birds, butterflies and animals that co-exist in the magical Garbhanga Reserve Forest, Assam, India.

Oriental White Eye

Blue Napped Monarch

Garbhanga Reserve Forest, is a hilly area in merger to the hilly ranges of the Meghalaya in its eastern and northern sides, southern sides are covered up by the city of Guwahati and Deepor Beel Wildlife Sanctuary, and to its western side it is the Rani Reserve Forest.

The other two entrances known for entry into the Garbhanga Reserve Forest is from Lokhra and one from the Bhima Shanka Jyotir Linga entered through Gorchuk. The continuous flow of the water comes down from the Meghalaya. The big forest which is home to birds butterflies and animals provide sufficient food for all .Et al, it is an undisturbed place to live in. But some recent mining activities being conducted in the nearby areas of Meghalaya which in the long term could affect the entire ecological balance of Garbhanga Reserve Forests.

This magical forest is also home to a large numbers of Elephants ( Elephus maximus ) however there are many Elephant corridors located internally which give these giants to move through different hunting grounds nearby. The Oriental White-eye ( Zosterops palpebrosus) is always on a playful manner, jumping from one branch to another, and on the other side the  wonderful musical note of the Jungle myna ( Acridotheres fuscus) attracts one’s mind towards it. And somewhere within the bushes and small bamboo trees, you will always witness the beautiful voices of the Pin stripped tit Babbler (Macronous gularis) creeping here and there, whereas up above the trees, the Black – Hooded Oriole (Oriolus xanthornus) creates an environment like never before.

The climatic conditions of this forest are very considerable for all the living object living on it, significantly making the climate a humid one, which otherwise help in the rise of insects specially the butterflies. The forest consist of moist deciduous forest, mix forest, evergreen patches and semi evergreen patches found in some of the interior parts of the forest, The climatic conditions of the forest are Pre-monsoon, Monsoon, Post –Monsoon followed by the Winter.

Some of the birds found in the Garbhanga Reserve Forest are as follows:

1. Black Kite ( Milvus migrans).
2. Shikra ( Accipiter badius).
3. Asian Koel ( Endynamys scolopacea).
4. Indian Cuckoo ( Cuculus micropterus).
5. Small Headed Malkhowa ( Phaenicophaeus viridirosris).
6. White –Browned piculet ( Sasia ochracea) .
7. Crimson Sunbird (Aethopyga siparaja labecula).
8. Large Woodshrike ( Tephrodornis virgatus pelvicus).
9. Yellow-bellied Warbler (Abroscopus superciliaris flaviventris).
10. Dark –necked Tailorbird (Orthotomus atrogularis nitidus).
11. White-rumped Shama (Copsychus malabaricus indicus).
12. Whit –bellied Erpornis ( Erpornis zantholeuca zantholeuca).
13. Black –crested Bulbul ((Pycnonotus melanicterus flaviventris).
14. Pin- striped Tit Babbler (Macronous gularis rubricapilla)
15. Rufescent Prinia (Prinia rufescens rufescens).
16. Common Iora ( Aegithina tiphia tiphia).
17. White –browned Scimitar Babbler (Pomatorhinus schisticeps schisticeps).
18. Greater Coucal ( Centropus sinensis).
19. Barn Owl (Tyto alba).
20. Spotted owl ( Athene brama).
21. Brown Fish-Owl( Ketupa zaylonensis).
22. Small Bee –eater (Merops orientalis).
23. Blue-tailed bee-eater (Merops philipinus).
24. Lineated barbet ( Megalaima lineate).
25. Blue –throates barbet ( Megalaima asiatica).
26. Coppersmith barbet ( Megalamia haemacephala).
27. Small Blue kingfisher (Alcedo atthis).
28. White-breasted Kingfisher (Halcyon smyenesis).
29. Lesser Pied Kingfisher ( Ceryle rudus).
30. Great Slaty Woodpecker (Mulleripicus pulverulentus).
31. Fulvous-breasted Pied Woodpecker (Dendrocopos macei).
32. Small Yellow-naped Woodpecker (Picus chlorolophus).
33. Large Yellow-naped Woodpecker (Picus flavinucha).
34. Greater Golden-backed Woodpecker(Chrysocolaptes lucidus).
35. Blue Whistling –Thrust (Myiophonus caeruleus).
36. Tickell’s Thrust (Trudus unicolor).
37. Black –backed Forktail (Enicurus immaculatus).
38. Spotted Forktail (Enicurus maculates).
39. Common Stonechat (Saxicola torquata)
40. Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrust (Garrulax monilegre).
41. Jungle Babbler (Turdoides striatus).
42. Small Niltava (Niltava macgrigoriae).
43. Black-naped Monarch –Flycatcher( Culicicapa ceylonensis).
44. Great Tit ( Parus major).
45. Chestnut –bellied Nuthatcha (Sitta castanea).
46. Spotted Munia (Lonchura striata).
47. Grey-headed Starling ( Sturnus malabaricus).
48. Bronzed Drongo (Dicrurus aeneus).
49. Jungle Myna (Acridotheres fuscus).
50. Grey headed Flycatcher (Culicicapa ceylonensis ).

The Garbhanga Reserve Forest, is easily reachable from the Airport, Railway Station and the Inter State Bus Terminus (ISBT). From the  ISBT the Garbhanga Reserve Forest entrance at Lokhra and the Bhima Shanka Jyotir Linga (Gorchuk) is hardly 5 k.m. away.

Entering into the Garbhanga Reserve Forest, on the Lokhra and the Bhima Shanka Jyotir Linga (Gorchuk) entrance, one must keep the following things with himself/ herself:

Please keep in mind

1. Keep a water bottle always with you.
2. You may carry food items, such as Biscuits, Breads, and Chocolates etc. for your ready refreshment.
3. There are no entry fees while entering into the forest.
4. Please check that your camera and its equipments, are ready before entering the forest, as you might not know where you could see the birds/ animals.

Please do not do any one of these

1. Whatever food items you take along with you, please remember not to throw the wastages of any kind out there in the forest.
2. Please do not make the birds/animals etc. found in the forest surprise by your presence, as you may not be able to take a perfect shot while doing so.