New bird species recorded in Nepal

Kathmandu, July 22: A new species of bird has been recorded in Nepal from the Manohara area of Madhyapur Thimi Municipality. The bird, identified as the Siberian Sand Plover, was spotted at an altitude of 1,319 metres above sea level. Locally, it has been named 'Siberiyali Rajputrika'.

A team of ornithologists comprising Kumud Parajuli, Supradipta Neupane, and Shatrughan Pandey first observed the bird a month ago on June 20. They photographed the bird and made a preliminary identification as a Siberian species.

According to the Nepal Bird Record Committee, further studies and consultations with international ornithologists confirmed the bird's identity. Committee Chair Dr Tulsi Subedi stated that this identification process led to the official recognition of the species in Nepal.

According to the IUCN Red List, the Siberian Sand Plover is classified as an endangered species. Its migration patterns have shown that primarily found in Siberia, the bird later travels to countries such as China, Fiji, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Taiwan, Timor, Australia and New Zealand.

With this addition, the total number of bird species recorded in Nepal has now reached 902. (RSS)