Summer Birding

03 May 2020 – 11 May 2020

Sanjib Acharya

Participants: Sanjib Acharya, Suman Acharya, Dinesh Ghimire, Bimal Timsina and Indira Karki

Visited Sites

Kosi Bird Observatory

Himalayan Nature has established Nepal’s first bird observatory – Kosi Bird Observatory and field education center (26º46’57.85”N, 087º08’21.81”E) north of Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, a Ramsar Site and well-known migration flyway for Palearctic migrant birds. It lies at the base of the Churia foothills in the plains as the Koshi River erupts through the narrow gorges.

For the first time in the country, Himalayan Nature now manages Nepal’s own rings and is geared up towards making a national ringing scheme for the country. In addition to being a valuable way of finding out about the populations, life-cycles and migration strategies of birds, ringing has added a great value for raising public awareness for bird conservation.

Several MSc and BSc students have used the facility to conduct their research. KBO has also supported PhD scholars like Bhagawan Raj Dahal of Queensland University, Ashok Kumar Ram of Wildlife Institute of India and Janak Raj Khatiwada of Chinese Academy of Sciences. Several conservation education and awareness programs have been conducted from here by Bird Conservation Nepal, Biodiversity Conservation Society Nepal, Koshi Bird Society, Resources Himalaya, CSIRO (Australia) as well as Himalayan Nature itself. Currently, the centre has three resident staff.

There is a plan to have an information and community support centre in the future. KBO intends to involve local and national politicians and officials to visit the center to provide awareness and education on the importance of the ecosystems and the environment.

Target species

  • Slaty-breasted Rail Lewinia striata

  • Bengal Florican Houbaropsis bengalensis

  • Malayan Night-Heron Gorsachius melanolophus

  • Indian Courser Cursorius coromandelicus

  • Small Pratincole Glareola lactea

  • Brown Wood-Owl Strix leptogrammica

  • Jerdon's Baza Aviceda jerdoni

  • Black Baza Aviceda leuphotes

  • Indian Pitta Pitta brachyura

  • Hooded Pitta Pitta sordida

  • Abbott's Babbler Turdinus abbotti

Species List

Order: systematic | alphabetic | highlights first