The ibisbill (Ibidorhyncha struthersii), an elusive bird confined to the boulder-strewn mountain rivers of the Himalayas, has long remained one of the region’s least-studied species. Researchers have now produced the first detailed climate-based assessment of the bird in North-Western Himalayas, identifying where its suitable climatic conditions exist today and how they may shift under future warming. Listed as least concern in the IUCN red list, the ibisbill occurs across the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau. However, it remains one of the most elusive riverine birds in the Himalayan region, restricted to specific habitats and with no conclusive population estimate from India, says Ankita Sinha, a wildlife biologist and researcher at Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Center, Frankfurt. “Because of their limited sightings and ranges restricted to remote uninhabited areas, knowledge on their ecology and behaviour is limited,” she says. The ibisbill is a high-altitude bird restricted to fast-flowing mountain rivers with gravel bars and often braided rivers. Image by Khursheed Ahmad. These specialist birds are restricted to fast-flowing high-altitude rivers, particularly ones with gravel bars and ones that are braided. Their long, curved bills are adapted to feeding between stones and under gravel, where they mainly feed on aquatic insects, larvae and other invertebrates. They also nest directly on gravel bars, making them highly dependent on intact river habitats. Its habitat, particularly near the towns and valleys, is also occupied by people, shares Asad Rahmani, an ornithologist and the former director of Bombay Natural History Society. As boulders are required…This article was originally published on Mongabay
