Vultures are nature's cleanup crew, known for their spectacular flight, keen eyesight, and strong stomachs. It’s a delight to watch them soar effortlessly over the snow-capped mountains and the azure skies of the Himalayas, disappearing into the distance. Today, however, we're not exploring Himalayan scenery, but a surreal landscape, a vulture haven like no other.

Not hundreds, but thousands and thousands of them!

Our local guide shared a fascinating story/fact. According to him, the king of Bikaner once enforced strict rules for skinning dead animals. He designated a specific area for the task, and naturally, the carcasses began attracting vultures and other scavengers. Back in those days, even Indian Vultures and the majestic King Vulture could be seen here. Long after the kings and their kingdoms faded into history, the government chose this very spot to establish a vulture conservation center. A sign in Hindi just before the turn to the site reads, fittingly, “Bhojanshala”, a dining hall.

As birders, we’re constantly drawn to mesmerizing birding hotspots, the misty Northeast, the majestic Himalayas, the lush South, the coasts, the deserts, wetlands, and islands. Even in our own cities, we find joy in watching backyard birds and making quick pilgrimages to familiar urban hotspots for a dose of avian therapy.

But this place is truly one of a kind. It feels eerie-spooky, even. Carcasses of cows, camels, and other animals are strewn across the area. Stray dogs with their litters roam between the remains. Garbage, plastic that arrives with each dumped load. And then there’s the overpowering stench of decomposing carcasses. This place is certainly not for everyone.

A little Wikipedia gyan teaches me that, a group of vultures in flight is called a kettle, while those resting on the ground or in trees are known as a committee. And when they’re feeding, it’s called a wake. That's exactly everything what this hotspot is all about

On the brighter side, you’ll see vultures everywhere on the ground, in the sky, feeding on carcasses, perched on treetops and utility poles, absolutely everywhere. So much so, that even eBird questions your count when you try to submit it.

Egyptian Vultures were by far the most abundant here, also known as the white scavenger or pharaoh’s chicken (love that name!). I’d only ever seen a couple before, near the Chambal River, hanging out with some Indian Skimmers. 

But at Jorbeed, they were everywhere. It was amazing to watch them up close and notice their behaviors I’d never seen before. Sharing a few of my favorite shots, the kind of moments you don’t often find floating around online.

These gulpers gather in large numbers, forming committees on treetops, silhouetted against the sky, finishing off carrion, resting like sitting ducks, and striking their iconic, horaltic poses. 

These very few in numbers. On my birding trips to Himachal, it had become a bit of a ritual to count them as they roared through the sky, sometimes we spotted dozens in a single day. They look absolutely magnificent in flight. 

I’ve captured so many different flight poses that I could easily write a whole post just about Himalayan Griffons soaring. (Did it sound like a little teaser for the next article!) 

But back to Jorbeed. Here, I got to see these majestic birds really up close. This is one shot I liked.

And then comes the largest of them all. The shy, highly sensitive Cinereous Vulture. 

With a massive wingspan and jet-black plumage, they look absolutely royal in flight. 

They’re the Amitabh Bachchan in this plot, commanding the entire frame, stealing the show. When they’re in frame, no one else even gets noticed.

This deadly ecosystem full of vulture is a wintering home to the Vulnerable Yellow-eyed Pigeon. They breed in western Central Asia, small part of the population migrates to Jorbeed in the winter.

The place draws in a large number of eagles, countless rosy starlings, flocks of house sparrows, doves, and crows and, of course, the ever-present fierce stray dogs and wandering cattle.

In smaller numbers, I spotted Red-naped Ibis, Red-wattled Lapwings, Drongos, Eurasian Hoopoes, Eurasian Starlings, Lesser Whitethroats, Sandpipers, and Black-winged Stilts. There was even the occasional wild boar wandering through. 

What really surprised me was seeing some of these birds—like the Red-naped Ibis, Eurasian Hoopoe, and Lapwing—scavenging near the carcasses. The ibis, in particular, looked almost like it was mimicking the vultures with that long, curved beak of its. Quite a sight! 

Unapologetically real, Jorbeed presents a brutal theatre of life and death. It’s not just about vultures, it’s about witnessing the striking beauty of life in decay. Wild, raw, and unforgettable.

Date: 28-29 Dec (extenstion to DNP Birding trip)

Trip Report: https://ebird.org/tripreport/389629?welcome=true

Guide:  Chandramouli Ganguly

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