A pair of Asian paradise flycatchers, locally known as swargachari, has been sighted in the community forests of Nawalparasi (East) in recent days. The pair can be seen bringing dried up grass and small twigs to make a nest to lay eggs on.

According to ornithologists, the Asian paradise flycatchers arrived in Nepal a few weeks ago from Sri Lanka, travelling around 1,800 miles. They come to Nepal every summer to lay eggs and raise their fledglings.

Blue-tailed-bee-eaters, known as Nilpuchhre Muralichari in Nepali, can also be seen building nests in the Lumbini area these days. These bird species have migrated to Nepal from as far as Thailand through Myanmar and Bangladesh by covering a distance of around 1,600 miles.

“Hundreds of birds of several summer migratory bird species come to various parts of Nepal to lay eggs. A total of 44 species of summer migratory birds have already arrived in Nepal. A few other species will arrive shortly,” said Hem Sagar Baral, a senior ornithologist.

According to him, several bird species migrate to Nepal every summer as the country has favourable climatic conditions and good environment for raising fledglings. The summer migratory birds start arriving in Nepal from mid-February and stay here for a few months.

Ornithologists inform that around 60 species of birds migrate to Nepal each summer. Most of the summer migratory birds come to Nepal to lay eggs, hatch them and fledge the babies. White-throated needletail, as informed by ornithologists, come all the way from Australia.

DB Chaudhary, another ornithologist, says around 10 to 12 bird species from several countries will arrive in Nepal within a few weeks. Various species of cuckoos are yet to come. “Pied cuckoos arrive here quite late. They migrate to Nepal by the end of May from the sub-Saharan region of Africa,” said Chaudhary.

According to ornithologists, winter migratory birds generally come to Nepal from the north while summer migratory birds migrate to the Himalayan nation from the south. With the onset of spring season, several species of birds migrate to Nepal from India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia and Indonesia, among other countries. Upon arrival, the migratory birds choose suitable locations in forests, farmlands and the banks of rivers to make nests and lay eggs.

“Most of the migratory birds that have arrived in Nepal have already chosen an ideal place and have started making nests. Several bird species have already prepared their nests and are all set to lay eggs in Chitwan National Park and the Lumbini area,” said ornithologist Som GC. According to him, it takes around three weeks for a bird pair to make a nest. He informed that many such summer migratory birds make their nests by April and raise their fledglings by July.

According to ornithologists, several species of summer migratory birds come to Chitwan National Park, Bardiya National Park, Shuklaphanta National Park, Banke National Park, Shivapuri-Nagarjun National Park, Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve and Annapurna Conservation Area Project, among other forests of Nepal, each year to make nests and raise their fledglings.

Nepal is home to 888 bird species, including the Spiny babbler (Turdoides nipalensis), a bird species found only in the country.