The common kingfisher, also known as the Eurasian kingfisher or the river kingfisher is a sparrow-sized bird, characterised by its blue upper-parts, orange underparts and a long bill. The stork-billed kingfisher is larger than a common kingfisher and is a tree kingfisher. It has a long, bright-red bill, green back, blue wings and red legs. The ruddy kingfisher has a rust-coloured body and a red beak. It is a winter immigrant in the Sundarbans.
The pied kingfisher is a species of water kingfisher and is easily identified thanks to its black and white plumage and crest. The white-throated kingfisher, also known as the white-breasted kingfisher is arguably the most common kingfisher species, featuring a brown head, blue wings and white chest.
The collared kingfisher or mangrove kingfisher, like the name suggests, has a white collar, a black bill and blue plumage with a greenish tinge. In India, the brown-winged kingfisher has mainly been recorded in coastal regions such as the Sundarbans and the Bhitarkanika National Parks. It has a golden-brown head, dark brown body and a long, bright-red beak. The black-capped kingfisher has a black head contrasted with a white throat, purple-blue wings and is mainly found in coastal regions.
Perhaps, the most intriguing part about the Sundarbans is man’s dynamic relationship with these mangrove forests. The native fishermen community’s livelihood depends on these mangroves. They risk their lives everyday when they go out to fish, and while we wait for a tiger to emerge out of a creek, we sometimes see these fishermen fishing on the opposite side!
The other intriguing part about the Sundarbans is that tigers here perhaps perceive human beings as prey. Hence, our interaction with the tigers of Sundarbans is very different from that of the denizens of central Indian parks.
Sighting a tiger prowling Kanha’s open meadows or cooling off in Ranthambore’s Rajbagh lake, or tiger cubs gambolling in the tall grasses of Telia in Tadoba, is already an exhilarating affair. But a tryst with a Sundarbans tiger, the moments when it looks into your frame or locks eyes with you or just effortlessly paddles its way through the water, experiencing its flair is truly awesome because there is the sense of our lives at stake!
People who operate Sundarbans wildlife tours are extremely wary and vigilant about the tiger. No one is allowed to get down anywhere and the boat, when anchored, is not by the edge of the creek since there is always the imminent threat of a tiger lurking nearby.
Our Skippers and guides have years of experience in the Sundarbans. They have learned to trust their gut and know where to spend time looking for the tigers where there are a few males who wander around and a few females with cubs!
The chief focus on the Sundarbans phototour would be on the tiger, and while the majority of our time is spent searching for one, we will get to see other animals such as leopard cats, fishing cats, jungle cats, Irrawaddy dolphins and so on.
Please note: A large part of this Sundarbans wildlife tour goes in long hours of searching and waiting. For people expecting hourly action and spotting numerous tiger individuals, such as in the case of a central Indian forest expedition, we don’t recommend this tour.
This tour is for advanced nature lovers who are willing to be patient to witness something quite rare – a tiger in the Sundarbans. Most tourists consider themselves lucky even if they spot one tiger in the entire week! If you are one such person who is hungrier than the tides, then this Sundarbans photo tour is for you!
