About Author

About Author Bhagat Ram – Birder & Founder of Birds of Himalayas, Mandi HP

Based in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh—the geographic heart of the Western Himalayas—I am a wildlife photographer, field birder, and documentation specialist.

Birds of Himalayas is the culmination of more than 12 years of systematic field surveys, early morning canopy watches, and thousands of hours spent across montane forests, wetlands, and alpine passes. Through my lens and field logs, my focus extends beyond capturing striking imagery; it is about recording behavior, seasonal presence, micro-habitats, and the ecological stories of Western Himalayan avifauna.

The Journey: From a Curiosity to Field Documentation

My path into wildlife documentation began with a deep curiosity about the natural history of Himachal Pradesh. A pivotal influence was my late mentor and former employer, Dr. Chiranjit Parmar, a distinguished horticulturist and fruit scientist. He gifted me my very first digital camera—a Fujifilm—and instilled in me the discipline of rigorous observation and visual recording. His mentorship laid the foundation for the scientific curiosity that guides my field work today.

That spark evolved into long-term active collaboration with state wildlife bodies and regional conservation teams:

  • Pong Dam Wetland Bird Census — Periodic waterbird monitoring in coordination with the HP Wildlife Wing, Dharamshala.
  • Shikari Devi Wildlife Sanctuary Faunal Survey — High-altitude field inventories alongside the HP Forest Department.
  • Sangla & Chitkul Bird Ringing Workshops — Hands-on bioacoustic and ringing field exercises across Kinnaur with the HP Forest Department.
  • Wildlifers of HP — Active field contributor and survey partner since 2016.
  • Forest Department Field Documentation — Providing primary photographic evidence and baseline avifaunal inventories across central Himachal.

To date, I have field-documented and photographed over 350 bird species across an altitudinal span from 400 meters in the sub-Himalayan valleys to over 3,500 meters in high alpine passes, spanning Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Punjab.

Published Milestone: Birds of Mandi

A defining highlight of my fieldwork was co-authoring the photographic field guide Birds of Mandi with Shri Surender Kashyap, then Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Mandi.

  • Species Cataloged: 230 bird species observed, identified, and photographed directly within Mandi district.
  • State Recognition: The book was officially launched at the historic International Shivratri Fair of Mandi by the then Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Shri Jai Ram Thakur, in the presence of cabinet ministers, administrative heads, and conservation officials.
  • Impact: The volume serves as an authentic natural heritage document for researchers, students, and forest officers seeking verified local distribution records.

Publications & Field Contributions

Beyond authoring field guides, my original photography, field notes, and baseline sighting data have contributed to several landmark regional natural history publications and state forest surveys:

  • Survey of Shikari Devi Wildlife Sanctuary (2018) — Contributed high-altitude avifaunal records, elevation-specific documentation, and field imagery for this baseline biodiversity assessment conducted with the Himachal Pradesh Forest Department.
  • Avifauna of Himachal Pradesh (2019) — Provided photographic documentation and verified sighting records representing the diverse altitudinal belts and ecological zones across the state.
  • Himachal Birds – A Visual Treat by Somesh Goyal, IPS (2021) — Contributed field photographs capturing the rich avian diversity and native habitats of Himachal Pradesh for this celebrated visual archive.

These collaborative volumes have offered meaningful avenues to share primary field observations with forest administrators, researchers, and naturalists dedicated to protecting the fragile Himalayan ecosystem.

 

Recognition & State Honors

  • Best Wildlife Photographer Award — 2017: Conferred at Bhimtal, Uttarakhand, in a competitive regional conclave organized jointly by the Uttarakhand Forest Department and Strabo Pixel Group.
  • First Prize (State Level, Wildlife Photography) — 2018: Awarded first position and a cash prize of ₹10,000 by the Himachal Pradesh Forest Department during the state-wide wildlife conservation photography competition.
  • Citizen Science & Surveys: Continuous contribution to state bird censuses, ringing stations, and biodiversity workshops aimed at mapping regional migration corridors.

Professional Background & Digital Projects

By profession, I work in Information Technology as a Junior Office Assistant (IT) at the College of Horticulture and Forestry, Thunag at Gohar (Gudhari), a constituent college of Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan (HP).

Alongside field ornithology, I leverage my technical background to design, build, and maintain digital platforms for academics, grassroots organizations, and national achievers:

  • Himalayan Wild Food Plants (com) — Curated for botanist and academic Prof. (Dr.) Tara Sen, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Cluster University, Mandi.
  • Hariman Sharma Apple Nursery (com) — Official web portal for Padma Shri awardee farmer Shri Hariman Sharma (HRMN-99 apple innovator).
  • Himachal Guardian (com) — News and socio-environmental portal founded by veteran journalist Shri D.P. Gupta.
  • Mandi Saksharta Evam Jan Vikas Samiti (MSJVS) (com) — Digital repository for community literacy and grassroots empowerment programs in Mandi.

Field Ethics & Optics

All bird photography showcased on this portal adheres to strict, non-intrusive wildlife ethics:

  • Zero Baiting / No Call Playback: Observations are made without disruptive artificial lures, nest disturbance, or recorded territorial playback.
  • Field Kit: Field-tested telephoto setups paired with dedicated binocular optics for distant, unhurried behavioral observations in wild habitat conditions.

Connect & Collaborate

Whether you have spotted an unusual species in Himachal, need assistance verifying an identification, or wish to contribute local sighting records, feel free to reach out.

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