Biratnagar, October 27:

The birds of a new type are appearing on the branches of the ‘Simal’ tree in the premises of the Biratnagar Dairy Development Corporation since the last two months.

Huge crowds are coming to take a look at these birds, which have black wings, long necks and beaks, said an employee of the office, Jukta Rajbanshi. The birds, numbering in hundreds, look like ‘Hilekawa’ at first glance.

‘Hilekawa’, considered an extinct bird used to be seen in the ‘Simal’ tree around the Lametal of the Royal Chitwan National Park. No authority has any information about these birds which have similar characteristics to ‘Hilekawa’. Those birds feed on snails and have made nests in the ‘Simal’ tree trunk, said an eyewitness, Binod Dhungel. They also keep flying over the fields and streams.

Sita Bhattarai, 80, said such species of birds had never been seen in the region till now. Their increase in numbers could be hampered as their nests are weak, said eyewitnesses. Since the chicks fall from the nests, they reportedly started to become extinct. Locals have asked that they be identified and conservation done.

Sources alleged that the office employees have started killing and eating chicks. Locals said office employees are hunting them openly and no control measures have been applied in this direction.