KATHMANDU: For the first time, the ‘Madana Chanchhar’ bird has been spotted in Shuklaphanta National Park, which is rich in biodiversity.

This bird, usually found in the mid-high hilly and Himalayan forest areas, being found in the flat Tarai tropical region is considered significant in terms of conservation.

The Madana Chanchar was recorded for the first time in the park by a team including senior ornithologist Hirulal Dagaura, Dilip Chand Thakuri, Suman Chaudhary, Dr Bikalpa Pandey, and others from the Bird Conservation Society Nepal (BCN) during bird observation in the park.

The scientific name of ‘Madana Chachar’ is Turdus boulboul. It is a bird belonging to the thrush family. Although the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed it globally as ‘Low Concern,’ meaning it is common, it is considered a completely new and rare species for Shuklaphanta, according to ornithologist Dagaura.

According to him, this bird mainly inhabits moist forests in the mid-hills and Himalayan regions. Generally found at altitudes of 1,800 to 2,700 meters, this species may migrate to slightly lower altitudes during winter.

However, ornithologist Dagaura stated that its presence in the flat plains of the Tarai can be considered unusual.

“Although common globally, seeing it at Shuklaphanta is a locally rare event. It indicates changes in environmental conditions or migration patterns,” he said. The Madana Chanchar is about 28–29 centimeters long.

He said that the appearance of this bird species, considered to inhabit the hilly areas from Nepal to northern Vietnam, in the Tarai indicates the impact of climate change or changes occurring in the ecological system.

According to ornithologist Dagaura, the fact that a bird considered to live in the hilly region is found in the Tarai indicates that the range of biodiversity in Shuklaphanta is expanding further. With the arrival of this new bird species in Shuklaphanta, the number of birds in the sanctuary has increased further.

It is believed that the recording of this hill region bird in Shuklaphanta will help establish this park as a more important destination for bird watching and scientific research.