Rare Bugun Liocichla bird spotted in Arunachal Pradesh

There was a wave of excitement among the wildlife enthusiasts especially the bird lovers as a critically endangered species called Bugun Liocichla was spotted at the Eaglenest Pass in western Arunachal Pradesh.

The species was seen during a day-long birdwatching festival, the Bugun Liocichla Festival. The chief organiser of the event, Naresh Glow told PTI that a male and a female pair were sighted. He added that there was elation among the forest department officials, bird watchers and people who were attending the festival.

Named after the local Bugun tribe which protects this bird species, this creature with an enchanting and endearing plumage is found only in the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary situated in West Kameng district of the State.

It has been reported that there are only 14 to 20 such birds and their habitat is confined to three to four kilometres in the temperate forest which falls in the Singchung Bugun Village Community Reserve, a biodiversity hotspot spread in 234 square kilometres. This place is 213 kilometres from Itanagar, the State Capital.

As per the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species this bird is critically endangered.

Astrophysicist Ramana Athreya first discovered this bird in 1995 and again in 2006 at the Singchung Bugun Village Community Reserve.