Kathmandu: Nepal has officially recorded the Siberian Sand Plover (Charadrius mongolus) as a new bird species within its borders, adding to the country’s growing list of avian diversity.
The bird, locally named Siberiyali Rajputrika, was first sighted on June 20 in the Manohara area of Madhyapur Thimi Municipality at an altitude of 1,319 metres. The initial discovery was made by a team of ornithologists — Supradeepta Neupane, Kumud Parajuli, and Shatrughan Pandey — who photographed the bird and suspected it to be of Siberian origin.
Following the sighting, the Nepal Bird Record Committee (NBRC), in collaboration with international ornithologists, conducted a detailed verification. The committee has now officially confirmed the species, according to its Chair, Dr. Tulsi Subedi.
The Siberian Sand Plover, listed as an endangered species on the IUCN Red List, typically breeds in Siberia and migrates across countries such as China, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Australia, and New Zealand.
With this confirmation, Nepal’s total number of officially recorded bird species has risen to 902, reinforcing the nation’s significance as a critical habitat for both migratory and resident birds.