A new migratory bird species, locally named Baijani Koili (violet cuckoo), has been recorded for the first time in Nepal. The bird was sighted at the Sukhani forest area of Rong Rural Municipality in Ilam district in eastern Nepal.

A group of four bird enthusiasts including Rajendra Gurung, Anish Timsina and Malaysian birders Alexander John Ang Yang and Roger Robert Rajah spotted the bird in the lower Mai Valley Conservation Area at an altitude of around 300 metres above sea level. The group spent nearly an hour observing the bird from a distance of about 20 metres, capturing photos and videos for documentation.

Violet cuckoo (Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus) is a migratory species, meaning it does not stay in one location year-round. According to ornithologists, until breeding or nesting is observed the bird species is classified as a migratory visitor to Nepal.

According to senior ornithologist Hem Sagar Baral, with this addition the total number of bird species recorded in Nepal has now reached 899.

The violet cuckoo was spotted at around 11:20am on April 7. The ornithologists who captured the bird species in their cameras sent the image and video footage along with necessary details to Nepal Bird Record Committee under the Nepalese Ornithological Union.

Tulasi Subedi, chairman of Nepal Bird Record Committee, said that the committee, in consultation with national and international bird experts and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, formally recognised it as a new bird species in Nepal. The committee has named the bird Baijani Koili in Nepali, inspired by its vibrant violet coloration.

According to the Nepalese Ornithological Union, Nepal had previously recorded 15 species of cuckoo. With the addition of the violet cuckoo, the count of the species has now reached 16. Bird enthusiasts and nature lovers are elated with the new discovery.

Ornithologist Gurung expressed his happiness, stating that this find not only enriches the country’s avian diversity but also boosts up interest and enthusiasm in bird tourism. “I am very happy with the record of new bird species. It will certainly be helpful in bird conservation and bird tourism in Nepal,” said Gurung.

The violet cuckoo is a resident breeder in countries such as Bhutan, the Philippines, and Singapore and is also found in Bangladesh, China, Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Myanmar.

On February 19, another new bird species was documented 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.

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.

“The discovery of new bird species signals Nepal’s growing importance as a bird watching destination,” said Laxman Paudel, executive director of the Nepalese Ornithological Union. He highlighted that from the plains to the mountains, Nepal offers rich biodiversity for bird enthusiasts from around the world.

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