With a new bird species recorded from Zhemgang, Bhutan now has 740 bird species. The new bird Buff-breasted babbler was spotted in Panbang by a birding guide on March 6.
Although it is a new record for Bhutan, Buff-breasted babbler is common in the neighbouring regions such as Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. It lives in evergreen moist lowland forests.
The birding guide who spotted Buff-Breasted babbler, measuring 15 cm, works for a Birding Travel Agent and has also sighted a few other new bird species for the country such as Eurasian siskin, Red-browed Finch and Desert Wheatear.
Buff-breasted babbler is listed as least concern meaning it is not globally threatened. It feeds on insects including beetles and spiders.
A researcher with Ugyen Wangchuck Institute for Conservation and Environmental Research (UWICER), Sherub says the bird is known to balance the population of insects and pests in the eco-system.
He also added that it is exciting to record new bird species in the country as it is bringing Bhutan closer to hitting the 770 bird diversity as predicted by Western Bird Authorities-Inskipps.
Spotting new species of fauna indicates rich biodiversity, sound conservation policies, and well-protected habitats.
