East to west migration of Steppe Eagles (Aquila nipalensis) and other Raptors in central Nepal
©Tulsi Subedi
Himalayan Nature proposes to do the long term study of migrating raptors, including several critically endangered vulture species, in the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains in central-west Nepal. Monitoring of regional populations from a “watch site” is an effective means to assess population trends for a number of species. We identify, count, and whenever possible, age and sex migrants on an hourly basis beginning in each September through December. Since the early 1980s, only a handful of partial season counts have been completed at this location, and estimates have ranged from 10,000 to 40,000 Steppe Eagles migrating here each autumn, as well as 15 to 30 different raptor species also using this route. Our study identified a total of 37 migrating raptor species with approximately 15,000 individuals use this corridor during autumn migration. Much remains to be discovered about trans-Himalayan migration that this study will address in the coming years.
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Raptor migration summary report 2018