KATHMANDU, May 14: Ornithologists have found yet another species of bird in Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve area in Sunsari. The new bird has been identified as Daurian Redstart (Phoenicurus auroreus).
According to a press statement issued by Bird Conservation Nepal (BCN), ornithologists Tika Giri and Barry McCarthy found the bird for the first time in the country in one of the islands of Koshi River on December 25, 2008. Since then Giri has seen this bird at least three times again. Giri has recorded around 750 bird species in the country -- more than any other ornithologists´ total for this country -- so far.
The bird forms part of a large bird family known as Muscicapidae. This species is known to be found in India, China, Myanmar, Russia, Japan and few South East Asian countries during winter.
Daurian Redstart, the new bird found in Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve area in Sunsari.
Experts believe that this species may be a migratory species to Nepal. The habitat of the bird may not have been surveyed properly in the past. Further surveys are recommended in the area. With this find, Nepal now has 864 species of birds.
A team led by senior ornithologist Dr Hem Sagar Baral including Suchit Basnet, Badri Chaudhary, Som GC, Bishnu Mahato and Anish Timsina made further study on this bird. The team´s study funded by the Himalayan Nature was also able to take photographs of the bird reconfirming the identity submitted by Giri and McCarthy.
The bird is believed to be a regular winter visitor to eastern Nepal especially in the Khair and Sissoo forests in islands in Koshi River between Koshi Tappu and Chatara.
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