Iconic bird of Nepal

Common Birds of Nepal

Nepal's dramatic altitudinal range โ€” from Terai plains to 8,848 m Everest โ€” creates habitats for 900+ species, the highest species count relative to size of any mountainous country.

900+
Total species
1
Endemics
35
Threatened
Marโ€“May, Sepโ€“Nov
Best months
๐Ÿฆ
1. Satyr TragopanNear Threatened
Tragopan satyra

The male's crimson-spotted plumage and vivid blue facial skin make it one of Asia's most stunning pheasants โ€” best found on ridges above 2,500 m in April when displaying.

๐Ÿ“ Langtang, Phulchoki, Annapurna above 1,800m๐Ÿ—“ Aprโ€“May
๐Ÿฆ
2. Himalayan MonalLeast Concern
Lophophorus impejanus

Nepal's national bird โ€” the male's iridescent blue, green, and copper plumage in direct sunlight is one of Asia's greatest sights; found above treeline foraging on open slopes.

๐Ÿ“ Langtang, Gosaikund, Sagarmatha, Helambu๐Ÿ—“ Aprโ€“Jun
๐Ÿฆ
3. Spiny BabblerLeast Concern
Turdoides nipalensis

Nepal's only true endemic species โ€” a secretive babbler of scrubby hillsides restricted entirely to the Nepal midlands, best found by its distinctive rattling call.

๐Ÿ“ Chitwan, Nagarjun, Shivapuri๐Ÿ—“ Marโ€“May
๐Ÿฆ
4. IbisbillLeast Concern
Ibidorhyncha struthersii

One of the world's most distinctive shorebirds โ€” its curved red bill and bold black face mask are unmistakable on the shingle banks of Nepal's major river systems.

๐Ÿ“ Kali Gandaki, Arun Valley shingle rivers๐Ÿ—“ Decโ€“Apr
๐Ÿฆ
5. Beautiful NuthatchVulnerable
Sitta formosa

Arguably the world's most beautiful nuthatch โ€” vivid blue, orange, and white patterning covers what is otherwise a familiar stocky nuthatch body shape; extremely rare.

๐Ÿ“ Eastern Nepal forests (Koshi area)๐Ÿ—“ Marโ€“May
๐Ÿฆ
6. Blood PheasantLeast Concern
Ithaginis cruentus

Named for the blood-red streaking on the male's breast โ€” found in small groups in subalpine rhododendron scrub, scratching through snow near the treeline in Nepal's north.

๐Ÿ“ Langtang, Sagarmatha, Makalu subalpine๐Ÿ—“ Mayโ€“Jun
๐Ÿฆ
7. White-rumped VultureCritically Endangered
Gyps bengalensis

Crashed by over 99% from diclofenac poisoning in the 1990s โ€” Nepal's Chitwan and Bardia are now among the last places where small numbers can be reliably found.

๐Ÿ“ Chitwan, Bardia, Koshi marshland๐Ÿ—“ Novโ€“Mar
๐Ÿฆ
8. Ward's TrogonNear Threatened
Harpactes wardi

One of Asia's rarest nest-confirmed trogons โ€” a large raspberry and silver bird of temperate forest above 1,800 m in eastern Nepal's least-visited birding wilderness.

๐Ÿ“ Far eastern Nepal, Kanchenjunga area๐Ÿ—“ Aprโ€“May

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