• A new species of birds has been discovered in the high mountainous region of Nepal.
• This is bringing the total number of avian species in the Himalayan country to 866.

About Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush:

• A Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush (Monticola saxitilis), considered an autumn passage migrant bird species in Pakistan and India, was photographed by an expedition near the Shey monastery within the Shey-Phoksundo National Park.
• Researchers from an NGO Friends of Nature (FoN) Nepal spotted the bird while studying Himalayan wolf, wild yak and snow leopard last year.
• The identification of the bird reported by the team was confirmed by the bird experts Carol Inskipp and Hem Sagar Baral.
• The Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) and Bird Conservation Nepal authorised the presence of a new bird species in the country.
• Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush is considered an autumn passage migrant bird species in Pakistan and India.
• The sighting location was very remote and rarely visited by ornithologists.