Bird Walk at Sikandarpur Pahadi, Gurugram
- Gurugram
- 10 October, 2026
- Sandy Khanda
About Sikandarpur Pahadi
Located in Gurugram, Haryana, Sikandarpur Pahadi is a unique urban biodiversity hotspot where rocky Aravalli outcrops, scrub forests, grasslands, seasonal wetlands, and small waterbodies come together to create a rich natural landscape. Despite being surrounded by rapid urban development, the area provides valuable habitat for a wide range of birds, butterflies, reptiles, and small mammals. Native shrubs, thorny scrub, and scattered trees support a diverse ecosystem, making Sikandarpur Pahadi one of the most accessible birding locations in the National Capital Region.
The combination of dry scrub habitat and wetland patches makes Sikandarpur Pahadi rewarding throughout the year, with resident birds joined by migratory visitors during the winter months. However, increasing urbanisation, habitat fragmentation, invasive plant species, littering, and human disturbance continue to threaten this fragile ecosystem. Protecting and restoring the area’s natural habitats is essential for conserving its biodiversity and maintaining one of Gurugram’s most important green spaces.
Bird Guide: Sandy Khanda
He is an enthusiastic bird guide with 2 years of birding experience and a deep passion for wildlife and natural habitats. He strives to make every birdwatching walk educational, enjoyable, and memorable for participants.
Partnered with Green Pencil Foundation
Bird walk Location
Common birds of Sikandarpur Pahadi
Sikandarpur Pahadi offers an exciting blend of wetland, scrubland, and woodland birds, making it an excellent destination for birdwatchers of all experience levels. Wetland species such as Indian Spot-billed Ducks, Eurasian Moorhens, Black-winged Stilts, Green Sandpipers, and Red-wattled Lapwings thrive around the seasonal waterbodies, while the surrounding scrub supports Yellow-footed Green-Pigeons, Rose-ringed Parakeets, White-eared Bulbuls, Ashy Prinias, Oriental Magpie-Robins, and Asian Green Bee-eaters. Raptors such as Black Kites patrol the skies, and the area is also home to Spotted Owlets and large flocks of Rosy Starlings during migration. Together, these species highlight the ecological importance of Sikandarpur Pahadi as a vital refuge for wildlife within the rapidly expanding urban landscape.
Ashy Prinia
Asian Green Bee-eater
Asian Koel
Black Drongo
Black Kite
Black-winged Stilt
Common Moorhen
Green Sandpiper
Indian Spot-billed Duck
Oriental Magpie-Robin
Red-vented Bulbul
Red-wattled Lapwing
Rose-ringed Parakeet
Rosy Starling
Spotted Owlet
White-eared Bulbul
Yellow-footed Green-Pigeon
Indian Robin
Purple Sunbird
Common Tailorbird
Summary of Walk
One participant joined guide Sandy Khanda at Sikandarpur Pahadi in Gurugram on 10 October, and the one-on-one setting turned the morning into a truly meaningful experience of slow, attentive birding. With just two pairs of eyes on the trail, the walk was unhurried and deeply personal, leaving plenty of time to watch each bird properly and to listen to what it had to say. Together they recorded 31 species, a wonderful tally for a hillock in the heart of the Delhi NCR. Among the stars of the morning were the Brown-headed Barbet, whose steady, repetitive call carried across the slopes, and a female Asian Koel, which gave the pair a close look at its beautifully spotted and barred plumage. The Pied Starling added a smart black and white touch, and the Grey Francolin, calling from the scrub, reminded them that these open hillsides support a surprising variety of life. A Wood Sandpiper at the water’s edge and a wagtail strolling nearby showed that the early arrival of winter migrants was already under way. Sandy used the quiet pace of the walk to point out unique calls, colours and behaviours, and the conversation moved naturally between the birds and the larger world around them. The walk was a lovely reminder that birdwatching is not only about counting species but also about slowing down, observing carefully and building a deeper appreciation for urban biodiversity. Spotting more than thirty species made the trail memorable and reinforced the importance of giving everyone a chance to explore, learn about and protect nature.
Number of Participants
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