Guwahati: Birdwatchers spotted a flock of pin-tailed parrotfinches inside Namdapha National Park and Tiger Reserve on the morning of January 6.
The sighting marks the species’ first recorded presence in Arunachal Pradesh and likely only the second in India.
A team comprising guide Binanda Hatibaruah, Lt Gen Bhupesh Goyal, Mistu Basu, and Vinod Gupta made the sighting. While returning from a birding trip to the Gandhigram–Vijaynagar area, the team noticed white-rumped munias feeding on bamboo flowers at 62 Mile along the Miao–Vijaynagar road.
Among the flock, Lt Gen Goyal observed a few birds with distinct orangish-red bellies, unlike the usual munias.
Team leader Hatibaruah recognised that the birds were unusual for the region and asked the group to photograph them for verification.
Subsequent confirmation established the birds as pin-tailed parrotfinches, a species never before documented in Arunachal Pradesh.
The flock comprised two males and two females, all feeding actively on bamboo flowers. They remained on the same flowering branch for nearly 30 minutes before flying away.
Pin-tailed parrotfinches inhabit several parts of Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and parts of Myanmar.
Photographers first captured the species in Mizoram’s Reiek in April 2025, where it was also seen feeding alongside munias.
Birding platform eBird describes the species as highly elusive due to its sudden and irregular appearances. It typically emerges during bamboo flowering or rice harvest seasons before disappearing again.
The male parrotfinch has leaf-green plumage, a blue face, a reddish belly, and a long pointed tail, measuring about 15 cm. The female is smaller, around 12 cm, with duller colouring and no red on the belly.
Bird experts note that the growing interest in birdwatching across India has improved documentation of rare species, with more observers expanding the country’s avifaunal records.
Lt Gen Goyal expressed hope that observers will sight the pin-tailed parrotfinch more frequently in India, especially in states bordering Myanmar.
He added that birdwatchers should watch bamboo flowering areas closely, as the species appears strongly attracted to bamboo flowers.