A new bird species has been sighted in Jhapa district. Bird enthusiast Devendra Kharel spotted a purple-backed sunbird, known in Nepali as Baijani Dhade Bungechara, in Kankadbhitta of the district on February 19. Kharel first noticed the bird on the rooftop of Rajendra Mishra in ward 6 of Mechinagar Municipality and captured it on camera.

"I sent the image, along with necessary details to the Nepalese Ornithological Union via email. On February 28, the union officially confirmed it as a new bird species for Nepal,” said Kharel.

According to the Nepalese Ornithological Union, Nepal had previously recorded seven species of sunbirds. With the addition of the purple-backed sunbird, the count has now reached eight.

The purple-backed sunbird is a small, vibrant species primarily found in South and Southeast Asia, including India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh. This marks its first-ever sighting in Nepal. The bird measures around 10 cm in length. The female has a greenish-brown head and back, with a yellow chest and belly, while the male is distinguished by its purple head, red throat, green wings, and yellow belly. These birds primarily feed on nectar, small insects, and flower parts. They are often seen in gardens, forests, farmlands, and even urban areas. Known for their swift flight, they hover while feeding on nectar from flowers.

"With this addition, the total number of bird species recorded in Nepal has now reached 898,” said Tulsi Ram Subedi, chairman of the Nepal Bird Record Committee. "This discovery calls for conservation efforts and further research."

Kharel is a Jhapa-based researcher and wildlife photographer and has captured various bird and animal species on camera. In 2021, he photographed a pair of Rufous-necked Hornbills, locally known as Hangrayo, at Simdhap in ward 1 of Suryodaya Municipality in Ilam. The bird had been spotted in Nepal after almost 200 years, said Kharel. Brian Hodgson, a British diplomat and naturalist, had discovered this bird species in Nepal in 1829.

Kharel also sighted a pale-headed woodpecker, which was last spotted in Nepal 44 years ago. Previously recorded twice in 1981, this bird had no photographic or video evidence until now. On February 22, Kharel spotted the species in Langkep in ward 6 of Rong Rural Municipality in Ilam district.

Measuring 16-18 cm in length, this bird has a distinctive brownish-white head with a yellow ring around its eyes. Its head is light yellow or pale-coloured. Known for pecking at tree trunks in search of food, this species is typically found in Himalayan regions. It has been recorded in China, India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Thailand, Myanmar and Vietnam. The bird primarily inhabits shrubby open forests, agricultural lands, and grasslands, feeding on insects, larvae, seeds, and small fruits. It is known for its fast movements, tendency to hide in bushes, and loud calls.

Likewise, Kharel sighted a white-cheeked starling in Mechinagar, Jhapa. Previously, ornithologist Shankar Tiwari had recorded this species in Lo Mangthang of Upper Mustang, at an altitude of 3,840 metres above sea level, on May 7 last year. "This is the first sighting of the bird in Jhapa," said Kharel.

Scientifically named Spodiopsar cineraceus, the white-cheeked starling belongs to the Sturnidae family. This bird is native to northern and eastern Asia, including China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, Russia, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Vietnam. It has also been recorded as a migratory species in Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines and Thailand.

With the increasing number of bird population and bird species, Nepal has been a haven for birding. Given the variety of bird species the country hosts, a good number of foreign tourists have started visiting the country, exclusively to watch birds. Ornithologists suggest that bird conservation can be quite helpful to promote overall tourism development in the country.

However, bird conservation has many challenges across the nation. Loss of habitat, mainly due to human encroachment, haphazard extraction of riverbed materials, shortage of food and excessive fishing threaten the survival of birds in the country. Bird hunting, chemical poisoning, land fragmentation, climate change and lack of awareness among the locals are other major threats to bird conservation efforts.