Walking With Birds In Maina, Curtorim, Goa

One fine morning while Goa was still waiting for the rains, we walked through the narrow streets of quaint Maina village close to better known Raia and Curtorim. It is a typical Goan village with narrow roads passing through the paddy fields. While the fields look like a green carpet on Earth, the blue sky provides the contrast. The clouds here and there move around to provide eternal change. Hills stand on the horizon as if guarding the fields. Coconut trees loom on here and there. Water forms natural ponds and attracts many birds.

Birding in Maina, Curtorim, Goa

There is absolute quietness, except for someone off villager passing by on foot or on cycle. We spotted many birds with the help of Goa’s bird expert Pankaj Lad of Canopy Tours. But could catch only a few with the camera. Here are they for you:

List of some other birds spotted at Maina, Curtorim in Goa include:

• Lesser Whistling-Duck
• Cotton Pygmy-Goose male in breeding plumage
• Indian Spot-billed Duck
• Indian Cormorant
• White-eyed Buzzard
• White-breasted Waterhen
• Purple Swamphen
• Bronze-winged Jacana
• Asian Koel
• Greater Coucal
• Common Kingfisher
• Stork-billed Kingfisher
• White-throated Kingfisher
• Pied Kingfisher
• Green Bee-eater
• Black-rumped Flameback
• Rose-ringed Parakeet nesting in coconut trees
• Common Iora
• Common Tailorbird
• Ashy Prinia
• Baya Weaver has several nesting
• White-rumped Munia

For birding enthusiasts, this area is a natural hot spot. One can spend some time around the paddy fields, lake & the trees to look out for the birds. A binocular would be very helpful to spot the birds at the distance. One can drive to the area and then walk around spending some pleasant time by nature’s beauty.

Thank you, Pankaj, for this lovely walk.