Kapilvastu, April 17 -- A new migratory bird species, locally named Baijani Koili (violet cuckoo), has been recorded for the first time in Nepal. The bird was sighted at the Sukhani forest area of Rong Rural Municipality in Ilam district in eastern Nepal.

A group of four bird enthusiasts including Rajendra Gurung, Anish Timsina and Malaysian birders Alexander John Ang Yang and Roger Robert Rajah spotted the bird in the lower Mai Valley Conservation Area at an altitude of around 300 metres above sea level. The group spent nearly an hour observing the bird from a distance of about 20 metres, capturing photos and videos for documentation.

Violet cuckoo (Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus) is a migratory species, meaning it does not stay in one lo...