New Subspecies Discovery in Nepal
Posted by: Loren Coleman on February 4th, 2008
Nepali scientists have recorded a new subspecies of bird – Nepal Rufous-vented Prinia – at Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve (KTWR) recently.
Photo Courtesy: BCN
According to Bird Conservation Nepal, the bird first recorded by chairperson of Nepal Rare Birds Committee (NRBC) Suchit Basnet and ornithologist Badri Chaudhary on April 1, 2005 at Koshi Tappu.
The birds have now been identified as Rufous-vented Prinia, bringing Nepal’s total bird list to 862 species. Belonging to Prinia burnesii species, the new bird has been named Nepal Rufous-vented Prinia or Prinia burnesii nipalensis scientifically.
Basnet said, “This must have been the most exciting bird record reviewed by the Nepal Rare Birds Committee since its establishment in 2001.”
According to Dr Hem Sagar Baral of BCN, this subspecies of bird is currently found only in Nepal and expressed hope of finding more species of birds in Koshi Tappu, the most popular site for bird watching in winter.
“We must put extra resources for understanding birds and their conservation needs in future,” he said.
Ornithologists call this as a groundbreaking research work and most significant on the taxonomy of Nepal’s birds after the discovery of Nepal Wren Babbler or Pnoepyga immaculata nearly 17 years ago.
Rufous-vented Prinia’s other two species are identified. One Prinia burnesii burnesii is found in Pakistan along the tributaries of Indus River and adjacent Punjab in India, and the other Prinia burnesii cinerascens is found in Assam, India along the Bramhaputra river systems and adjoining states of India and Bangladesh.
The new bird recorded in Koshi Tappu shows somewhat intermediate characters between these two subspecies and appears to form a link between them.
BCN further said the adult of this newly found 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 back and n the back, the streakings are bolder compared to the ones in head. The juveniles are similar to adults but slightly less marked on the head and body. Light rufous under-tail coverts were visible in one young bird caught.
They were located on grassland patches on small islands of the Koshi River but absent in heavily disturbed grasslands adjacent to villages indicating their preference for less disturbed grasslands.
Source: “New species of bird found in Koshi Tappu,” Nepal News.com, Feb 04 08.
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I had no idea Nepal has so many bird species, about the same as all of North America, if I remember right. Thanks for the info!
Right well firstly its a new subspecies, so how can it have affected the Nepal total bird list of species at all?
“bringing Nepal’s total bird list to 862 species”
862 species?
From what I gather, Prinia burnesii has been split up into 3 subspecies, namely 1) Prinia burnesii burnesii (which used to be called Prinia burnessii), 2) Prinia burnesii cinerascens (Indus river) and 3) Prinia burnesii nipalensis (Rufous-vented Prinia).
One species split into 3 subspecies. Therefore still one species. Therefore the “total bird list” is still “859? or whatever” species. This finding has no effect on the species list, but it does have an effect on the biodiversity and taxonomic units for conservation.
There are 9 subspecies (geographic morphs) of Helmeted Guineafowl in Africa, but still only 1 species of Helmeted Guineafowl. Therefore counts as 1 on the avian species list of Africa.
Rufous vented? That poor bird has a rather unfortunate name!
It adds to Nepals bird list because the other two subspecies are not found in Nepal, thus a new species to that country.
Sorry, I should have been more clear, I was responding to UCTZoology’s post, I’ve been a long time reader, first time poster. Just to give a bit of a background about myself: I’m a Civil engineer out of North Dakota wiht extensive knowledge of the birdlife of North America (at least the known birdlife of ND and surrounding areas) and a vast curiousity of the unknown. I’ve been a long time observer of the site and would like to contribute in anyway I can.
Thanks for clearing that up, I’m glad you chose to post a comment after all this time