Bhigwan sits in Pune district, roughly equidistant from Pune city and Solapur.

The Kadbanwadi area near Indapur is classic Deccan grassland — vast, open, and deceptively alive. At first glance, the landscape looks empty. But spend thirty quiet minutes here, and the raptors arrive. Harriers sweep low over the grass, larks burst from the ground in alarm, and if you’re lucky, a Short-eared Owl will materialise from nowhere just before dusk.

Evening Grassland Raptors — Kadbanwadi

Changeable Hawk-Eagle

Nisaetus cirrhatus

A powerful raptor often seen soaring or perched high, scanning the grasslands for prey.

Grey-headed Harrier

Circus melanoleucos

A winter migrant that flies low over grasslands, hunting rodents and small birds in methodical passes.

Montagu’s Harrier

Circus pygargus

Bhigwan’s iconic grassland raptor — graceful, tireless, and one of India’s most beautiful winter visitors.

Crested Lark

Galerida cristata

Resident grassland bird, perfectly camouflaged against dry soil — often heard before it’s seen.

The morning safari at Kadbanwadi begins before sunrise. Owls linger on open perches, reluctant to retreat for the night. An Indian Fox might trot across the path, pausing briefly to assess your jeep before vanishing into the grass. This is the hour birders live for.

Nocturnal & Crepuscular Species

Spotted Owlet

Athene brama

Common but captivating — often watches you with equal curiosity from an open perch.

Rock Eagle-Owl

Bubo bengalensis

India’s largest lowland owl — resting after a night of hunting with those iconic orange eyes half-open.

Indian Fox

Vulpes bengalensis

Not a bird — but a rare grassland mammal sighting that makes the morning unforgettable.

The afternoon boat safari on the Ujani backwaters is a complete contrast to the grassland experience. You float silently through shallow waters lined with wading birds, storks, and ducks. In peak season, thousands of Lesser Flamingos and Greater Flamingos create a spectacle of pink that feels entirely unreal in landlocked Maharashtra.

Wetland & Water Birds — Ujani Backwaters

Painted Sandgrouse

Pterocles indicus

A desert jewel — intricately patterned and famous for carrying water in belly feathers to its chicks.

Asian Openbill Stork

Anastomus oscitans

Feeds on snails using a uniquely shaped bill that creates a built-in nutcracker.

Painted Stork

Mycteria leucocephala

Large and colourful — often feeding in coordinated groups in the shallows.

Black-winged Stilt

Himantopus himantopus

Those extraordinary pink legs make the stilt one of the most elegant waders in the shallows.

Osprey

Pandion haliaetus

A fish-eagle that dives feet-first into the water — its hunting dives are a highlight of every boat safari.

More Wetland Encounters

Grey Heron

Ardea cinerea

Statuesque and patient — watching it strike for fish is like seeing a spring release.

Little Egret

Egretta garzetta

Shuffles yellow feet to disturb prey, then strikes — a surprisingly active and energetic feeder.

Northern Shoveler

Spatula clypeata

Migratory duck with a spoon-shaped bill — often swimming in spinning groups to whirlpool food to the surface.

Ruddy Shelduck

Tadorna ferruginea

The legendary ‘Chakwa-Chakwi’ of Indian poetry — a winter visitor in striking orange plumage.

The night walking safari is unlike anything else. No jeep, no engine noise — just boots on dry grass, the beam of a torch, and the stars overhead. Your guide moves slowly, speaking in whispers. The grassland sounds different at night: insects, frog choruses from distant water, and the distant call of an owl.

Nocturnal Encounters after Dark

Indian Nightjar

Caprimulgus asiaticus

Supreme camouflage — invisible until the torch catches its red eyeshine. A night safari highlight.

Green Bee-eater (Roosting)

Merops orientalis

Seeing this daytime acrobat asleep at night transforms a common bird into something completely new.

The final morning takes you to Shirsufal near Baramati — a wide, flat grassland where the horizon seems to go on forever. Raptors use the thermals here, circling high in groups. The Short-toed Snake Eagle is a specialist of open country with a taste for reptiles, and Shirsufal delivers sightings with pleasing regularity.

Shirsufal & Additional Species

Shirsufal Landscape

Baramati, Pune Dist.

Flat Deccan grassland — where the horizon stretches to forever and raptors rule the thermals.

Montagu’s Harrier ♂

Circus pygargus

The male’s clean pale plumage and graceful flight make every sighting a privilege.

Short-toed Snake Eagle

Circaetus gallicus

A reptile specialist — hovering over open ground on scaled legs built to handle snakebite.

Desert Wheatear

Oenanthe deserti

A Central Asian winter visitor — constantly bobbing and flicking its tail from exposed rocky perches.

Other Highlights from the Trip

Oriental Magpie-Robin

Copsychus saularis

A familiar face with an extraordinary voice — its song is the sound of an Indian morning.

Pied Bushchat

Saxicola caprata

Boldly patterned and territorial — perches prominently on grass stems to survey its world.

Plum-headed Parakeet

Psittacula cyanocephala

India’s most beautiful parakeet — that plum-coloured head is unmistakeable and unforgettable.

River Tern

Sterna aurantia

Increasingly uncommon — a fork-tailed diver with an orange bill that breeds on river sandbars.

Osprey in Flight

Pandion haliaetus

Open water gives unobstructed flight views of this powerful fish-eagle at work.

Plain Martin

Riparia paludicola

Smallest swallow here — hundreds hawk insects above the water in twisting aerial masses.

Laughing Dove

Spilopelia senegalensis

Its gentle, rising coo is the soundtrack of every Indian scrubland morning.

Green Bee-eater

Merops orientalis

A living emerald — one of India’s most beloved birds, hunting bees with breathtaking agility.

This is not an exhaustive list — Bhigwan has 300+ recorded species. These are the highlights across habitats and seasons:

Choosing the right base is important when visiting Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary