Bugun Liocichla

About Bugun Liocichla

• It is a small babbler (only 20 cm) with olive-grey plumage and black cap.
• It has become an attraction of birdwatchers since it was discovered as a new bird species in 2006.
• It is found only in the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary landscape and nowhere else in the world.
• The avian species is critically endangered with only 14 individual birds spotted so far in the Braiduah village under the Singchung sub-division.
• As a major step towards conservation, the Arunachal Pradesh government finally notified Braiduah Community Reserve under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
• The reserve is situated adjacent to the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary.

Key facts about Bugun Tribe

• The Buguns migrated from Tibet via East Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh.
• They have their own geographical boundaries with neighbouring tribes and have a distinct language called Khowa.
• In ancient times the Bugun/Khowa tribe was known as “Shisung-Rubai.”
• The landscape of mountains and forests, rhododendrons, orchids, and the rich biodiversity are vital and sacred natural wealth that the Buguns are proud of daily lifestyles are integrally linked to their natural environment.
• Like other Indo-Mongoloid tribes of Arunachal Pradesh, Buguns (Khowas) too build their houses with bamboo.
• Their traditional houses are made of bamboo and wood with a stone base.
• They are known to be very hard working farmers and are skilled at extracting oil from a local wood species found in the forests called Chiblem.
• They have their own socio political administrative decision making body called the Nimiang that fluidly regulates the functioning of the community.
• The “Pham-Kho” is the annual festival of Bugun.
• Buguns are generally endogamous as they marry within their community.

Q1) Where is Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary?

It is a protected area of India in the Himalayan foothills of West Kameng District, Arunachal Pradesh. It conjoins Sessa Orchid Sanctuary to the northeast and Pakhui Tiger Reserve across the Kameng river to the east. It is situated in the biodiversity hotspot of Eastern Himalayas and home to over 500 bird species.

Source: Arunachal tribe donates land for critically endangered songbird Bugun Liocichla

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