GULMI: The total number of bird species recorded in Gulmi district has reached 355 following the discovery of 30 new species during a recent bird census conducted by the Nepal Bird Conservation Association (NBCA).
The new species were identified during a detailed bird survey carried out in the Resunga, Madane, and Thaple Satyawati forest conservation areas. According to Shambhu Bhattarai, Project Officer of the NBCA in Gulmi, 25 of the newly recorded species were discovered across these three forest conservation areas during the latest survey.
Previously, bird surveys were conducted twice a year in the Resunga and Madane forest conservation areas. This year, however, the survey was expanded to include the Thaple Satyawati Forest Conservation Area for the first time, resulting in the identification of several additional species.
Among the newly recorded birds are the Common Iora, Thick-billed Flowerpecker, Grey-backed Shrike, Yellow-bellied Prinia, Spotted Forktail, Blue-throated Blue Flycatcher, Long-tailed Shrike, Black-headed Ibis, and Red Junglefowl.
Gulmi is also home to several globally rare and threatened bird species. These include the Cheer Pheasant, Pallas’s Fish Eagle, Cinereous Vulture, Griffon Vulture, Egyptian Vulture, and Himalayan Griffon, all of which have been recorded in the Resunga Forest Reserve. Similarly, the Bar-tailed Treecreeper has been found in the Resunga, Madane, and Thaple Satyawati forest reserves.
According to the NBCA, nearly 40 percent of Nepal’s total 903 bird species are found in Gulmi district. Previous surveys recorded 276 species in the Resunga Forest Reserve, 289 species in the Madane Forest Reserve, and 196 species in the Thaple Satyawati Forest Reserve. Based on the most recent combined survey of all three forest areas, the district’s overall bird count now stands at 355 species.
Alongside bird conservation efforts, the Nepal Bird Conservation Association has been implementing programs to support the livelihoods of local communities living near forest areas. Resunga Municipality Mayor Khildhwaj Panthi stated that Gulmi has immense potential for bird-based ecotourism, which could play a vital role in both biodiversity conservation and local economic development.
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