Kangra doctor records 2 new bird species for first time in state

In a major breakthrough for Himalayan ornithology, Dr Abhinav Chaudhary — a noted birder and dermatologist from Kangra — has recorded two bird species previously unreported in Himachal Pradesh. The discovery of Whinchat (Saxicola rubetra) and Sykes’s Warbler (Iduna rama) underscores the Spiti valley’s growing importance as a migratory corridor for avifauna.

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It was during a short faunal survey in mid-June led by Dr Chaudhary and accompanied by Lahaul-based naturalists Dipender Othangba and Amir Jaspa that the birds were sighted.

The team explored habitats around Kibber, Langza, Tashigang, and the Spiti river basin, areas known for their fragile ecosystems and sparse alpine vegetation.

On June 13, while scanning a scrub patch near Kaza, the team spotted a small bird resembling the Siberian Stonechat.

A distinct white supercilium helped confirm it as a Whinchat — a migratory songbird that breeds in Europe and Central Asia, and winters in sub-Saharan Africa. This marked the first record of the species in Himachal and only the seventh confirmed sighting in India.

The next morning, joined by researcher Abdus Shakur Mohammad, the team recorded a warbler with a distinctive call. Subsequent analysis confirmed it as Sykes’s Warbler, another bird recorded for the first time in the state. Though this species winters in southern India, its presence in Spiti suggests a previously unknown migratory route.

Dr Chaudhary is posted at Zonal Hospital, Dharamsala, and has contributed over 60 scientific papers and nearly 30 new bird records for the state. These discoveries not only expand Himachal’s bird list but also reaffirm Spiti Valley’s role as a critical, high-altitude refuge for migratory birds traversing the Himalayas.