Rajaji National Park is situated in the state of Uttaranchal, now known as Uttarakhand. The picturesque beauty and rich biodiversity of the park serve as its major attractions for both nature lovers as well as wildlife enthusiasts. In the year 1983, Rajaji Wildlife Sanctuary of Uttaranchal was merged with Motichur and Chilla wildlife sanctuaries and made into Rajaji National Park. The park has been named after Late Sri C. Rajgopalachari (also known as Rajaji), a famous freedom fighter and first governor general of India . Rajaji National Park of India spreads over an area of 820.42 sq km and is open to visitors only from Mid-November to Mid-June.

AVIFAUNA

A total of 312 birds species has been recorded. Of these , 151 are residents, 87migrants, and 49 are altitudinal migrants, 7 are local migrants, while the status of the remaining 18 is unknown. For some species, Rajaji forms the western edge of their range, e.g. Great Pied Hornbill Buceros bicornis and Golden - fronted Leafbird Chloropsis aurifrons (Pandey et al. 1995). The Common Green Magpie Cissa chinensis, a denizen of Broadleaf Evergreen and Moist Deciduous forest, has been reported from the forest adjoining Rajaji NP, which links it with Corbett NP.

Rajaji NP is extremely rich in forest birds. For example, it has 11 species of woodpeckers, 5 species of barbets and 3 species of hornbills including the Near Threatened Great Pied Hornbill. Under the Western Himalayas Endemic Bird Area, Stattersfield et al. (1998) have listed Brooks's Leaf - warbler Phylloscopus subviridis and Tytler's Leaf- warbler Phylloscopus tytleri as restricted rang species. Both species are winter migrants to the Park (Pandey et al. 1995).

According to Birdlife International (undated) classification of biomes, Rajaji NP occurs in sino - himalayan Subtropical Forest(Biome-8). However , it has more species of Biome - 7 (Sino-Himalayan Temperate Forest. A total of 112 species has been identified in Biome - 7, and Rajaji NP has 12 of them, all recoded in winter.

There is a barrage on the River Ganga near Haridwar city . The backwater of the reservoir, as well as a small stretch of the River Ganga, lie in the Rajaji NP. These  water bodies attract a lot of resident and migratory waterbirds in winter. Thirteen species of birds have been identified at the reservoir, including Darter Anhinga melanogaster, Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala, Black - Necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus. Frerruginous Pochard Aythya nyroca and Black - bellied Tern Sterna acuticauda, birds considered as Near Threatened by BirdLife International (2001).