A new species of purple bird has been discovered in Mechinagar, Jhapa.
According to the Nepal Ornithological Association, a Purple-rumped Sunbird was found at an altitude of 133 meters in Mechinagar Municipality-6, Kakarbhitta.
Nepali ornithologist Devendra Kumar Kharel first spotted the male and female birds on February 19 (7th Falgun) at 8:30 AM. They were perched on avocado and Sitalchini trees in a residential area. The bird was observed in the same location for two consecutive days.
Later, other ornithologists Anish Timilsina, Chakra Timilsina, and Shankar Luintel also confirmed the sighting. To verify the species, Kharel sent photos and details to the Nepal Bird Record Committee (NBRC) on February 21 (9th Falgun).
Based on the study, the bird has been identified as Leptocoma zeylonica (Linnaeus, 1766), commonly known as the Purple-rumped Sunbird in English and Baijani Bungechara in Nepali.
This bird belongs to the Passeriformes order and the Nectariniidae family. It is primarily found in Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka, where it also breeds.
Globally, the species has two subspecies:
- L. z. flaviventris
- L. z. zeylonica (the one found in Nepal)
With this discovery, the total number of bird species recorded in Nepal has reached 898.