Off the beaten track, the Mishmi hills in Arunachal are a birdwatcher's paradise
Rufous-backed Sibia The Mishmi Hills are located in central Arunachal Pradesh in India. Most of the Mishmi hills area falls under the Dibang Valley, which gets its name from Dibang River, one of the tributaries of the Brahmaputra River. The scenic Mishmi hills, is home to quite a few birds and is now a sought after destination for avid bird watchers. Mishmi Hills birding is done between Roing to Hunli, a stretch of 85 km. Most of this area falls under Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary. A 49 km ascending drive from Roing brings you to the 2655 meters high Mayodia Pass and from here you start descending towards Hunli which is about 36 km from the Pass. Different birds are found at different altitudes - during the first 10 kms or so of this journey, you get to see birds like Blue Rock Thrush, Red-billed Scimitar Babbler, Mountain Imperial pigeon, White Collared Treepie and many others, Around 25 to 30 km, you can sight the beautiful Nuthatch, Rufous-backed Sibia, Greater Rufous-headed Parro...