New bird species reported in Nepal
Ornithologists say they have found a new species of bird in Nepal's Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve.
The Nepal Rare Birds Committee has approved the designation of the find as the red-breasted flycatcher or "rato baksha arjunak" with the scientific name Ficedula parva, Bird Conservation Nepal said in a statement.
The bird was first spotted in February 2002, Xinhua, the Chinese government news agency reported. The flycatcher is believed to be a winter visitor to Nepal, Afghanistan and Northwest India.
Nepal is known for its diverse bird life, with 9 percent of the world's known species observed there. Ornithologists have recorded 862 species in the Kothu Tappu Reserve, which lies almost 300 miles east of Kathmandu.
Copyright 2006 by United Press International
