Spiny Babbler

    Spiny Babbler (Turdoides nipalensis; in Nepali Kande Bhyakur) is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family. It is found only in Nepal .867 species of birds have been recorded in Nepal, which are about 8% of the total bird species found worldwide. A total of 35 globally threatened species, 19 near threatened species and 15 restricted-range species are recorded in Nepal. Spiny Babbler Turdoides nipalensis is the only endemic bird of Nepal known so far. Nine species of birds are listed under the protected species by Government of Nepal. Although this species may have a 
restricted range, it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion.

  It is a magnificent brown bird found only in Nepal. It can be sighted around the Kathmandu valley, specifically around the Godavari and Phulchoki area close to the city of Lalitpur. The Spiny Babbler is a medium sized bird with a sharp beak and is quite shy. It rarely comes before humans but can be distinctly sighted around Phulchoki. It has been given the name Kande Bhyakur because of it's thorn, it features in stories, poems and folklore of Nepal. Although the spiny babbler population does not fear extinction, it must still be appreciated and protected.

      For over a century, this bird was considered extinct. It was only when Sidney Dillon Ripley, an American ornithologist spotted it in Nepal that the world came to know about its existence. The bird has a range restriction and its population keeps fluctuating.