February 2008. Nepalese scientists have discovered a new subspecies of bird at Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve (KTWR) in eastern Nepal.
The bird was first recorded by Ornithologist and Chairman of Nepal Rare Birds Committee (NRBC) Mr Suchit Basnet and Mr Badri Chaudhary on 1 April 2005 at Koshi Tappu. The bird was identified as Rufous-vented Prinia bringing Nepal's total bird list to 862 species. The bird is known as Prinia burnesii to scientific community. The new taxon from Nepal is referred to as Nepal Rufous-vented Prinia Prinia burnesii nipalensis.
Mr Basnet has already found several new bird records for Nepal and he records this ‘A fascinating experience with great excitement at the time of discovery. This must have been the most exciting bird record reviewed by the Nepal Rare Birds Committee since its establishment in 2001.’
New Subspecies Classification
A team of experts affiliated with Bird Conservation Nepal (BCN) and led by Ornithologist Dr Hem Sagar Baral has further assessed the taxonomic status of the bird and recently declared the bird as a hitherto undescribed new subspecies of Rufous-vented Prinia. The findings have been published in Bird Conservation Nepal's quarterly bulletin Danphe (Vol 16 No 4 December 2007).
Other members in the team were Mr Suchit Basnet (Chairman of Nepal Rare Bird Committee), Mr Hathan Chaudhary, Mr Badri Chaudhary, Mr Tika Giri and Mr Som GC—all well-known and acknowledged ornithologists in the country. According to the lead author of the scientific paper, Dr Baral, ‘this subspecies is currently found only in Nepal’. He further added, ‘Discovery of a new taxon from Koshi Tappu, one of the most bird watched areas in Nepal, indicates the possibilities of finding more new species in the country.’
New Subspecies Classification
A team of experts affiliated with Bird Conservation Nepal (BCN) and led by Ornithologist Dr Hem Sagar Baral has further assessed the taxonomic status of the bird and recently declared the bird as a hitherto undescribed new subspecies of Rufous-vented Prinia. The findings have been published in Bird Conservation Nepal's quarterly bulletin Danphe (Vol 16 No 4 December 2007).
Other members in the team were Mr Suchit Basnet (Chairman of Nepal Rare Bird Committee), Mr Hathan Chaudhary, Mr Badri Chaudhary, Mr Tika Giri and Mr Som GC—all well-known and acknowledged ornithologists in the country. According to the lead author of the scientific paper, Dr Baral, ‘this subspecies is currently found only in Nepal’. He further added, ‘Discovery of a new taxon from Koshi Tappu, one of the most bird watched areas in Nepal, indicates the possibilities of finding more new species in the country.’
Nepal Wren Babbler
Ornithologists call this as a ground breaking research work and most significant on the taxonomy of Nepal's birds after the discovery of Nepal Wren Babbler Pnoepyga immaculata a new bird described to science nearly 17 years ago.
Rufus-Vented Prinia
Of the other two subspecies of Rufous-vented Prinia, Prinia burnesii burnesii is found in Pakistan in the west along the tributaries of Indus River and adjacent Punjab in India; and Prinia burnesii cinerascens is found in Assam in the east along the Bramhaputra river systems and adjoining states of India and Bangladesh. The newly described bird shows somewhat intermediate characters between the two subspecies and appears to form a link between them. It occurs in the Ganges river systems, the third major river system in the India subcontinent.
Ornithologists call this as a ground breaking research work and most significant on the taxonomy of Nepal's birds after the discovery of Nepal Wren Babbler Pnoepyga immaculata a new bird described to science nearly 17 years ago.
Rufus-Vented Prinia
Of the other two subspecies of Rufous-vented Prinia, Prinia burnesii burnesii is found in Pakistan in the west along the tributaries of Indus River and adjacent Punjab in India; and Prinia burnesii cinerascens is found in Assam in the east along the Bramhaputra river systems and adjoining states of India and Bangladesh. The newly described bird shows somewhat intermediate characters between the two subspecies and appears to form a link between them. It occurs in the Ganges river systems, the third major river system in the India subcontinent.
Description
The adult of this new subspecies has overall olive-grey to light brown plumage. The head and nape are greyer compared to the browner back, wings and tail. In most individuals, there is faint whitish supercilium which reaches behind the eye. The head is densely streaked compared to the back. The back streakings are bolder compared to the head. Juveniles are similar to adults but slightly less marked on the head and body. Light rufous undertail coverts were visible in one young bird caught.
Habitat
All birds seen and heard were located on grassland patches on small islands of the Koshi River. The grass species in the area included Saccharum spontaneum, S. arundinacea, Typha elephantine, and Phragmites karka. Sparsely dotted young sissoo Dalbergia sissoo trees and xeric bushes Casurina spps. were also present. They were absent in heavily disturbed grasslands adjacent to villages indicating their preference for less disturbed grasslands.
It is a resident breeding species and highly threatened in the country because of habitat loss and degradation. Future surveys might reveal its presence in grasslands in different parts of the country.
Conservationists in Nepal have already listed the species as critically endangered for the country and recommended it as a candidate species for IUCN Red Data list.
For further information, please contact:
Mr Suchit Basnet
Chair, Nepal Rare Birds Committee
Phone: 5528602 / 9841228933
Email:papillosa@wlink.com.np
The adult of this new subspecies has overall olive-grey to light brown plumage. The head and nape are greyer compared to the browner back, wings and tail. In most individuals, there is faint whitish supercilium which reaches behind the eye. The head is densely streaked compared to the back. The back streakings are bolder compared to the head. Juveniles are similar to adults but slightly less marked on the head and body. Light rufous undertail coverts were visible in one young bird caught.
Habitat
All birds seen and heard were located on grassland patches on small islands of the Koshi River. The grass species in the area included Saccharum spontaneum, S. arundinacea, Typha elephantine, and Phragmites karka. Sparsely dotted young sissoo Dalbergia sissoo trees and xeric bushes Casurina spps. were also present. They were absent in heavily disturbed grasslands adjacent to villages indicating their preference for less disturbed grasslands.
It is a resident breeding species and highly threatened in the country because of habitat loss and degradation. Future surveys might reveal its presence in grasslands in different parts of the country.
Conservationists in Nepal have already listed the species as critically endangered for the country and recommended it as a candidate species for IUCN Red Data list.
For further information, please contact:
Mr Suchit Basnet
Chair, Nepal Rare Birds Committee
Phone: 5528602 / 9841228933
Email:papillosa@wlink.com.np
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