Ibisbill

The Ibisbill (Ibidorhyncha struthersii) is a distinctive riverine wader endemic to the mountain river systems of Central and South Asia. Within the Central Asian Flyway (CAF), it is distributed across the major mountain ranges of Kazakhstan, the Tien Shan, Pamir, Hindu Kush, Karakoram, Himalayas, Tibet, and western China, undertaking mainly altitudinal migrations to lower river valleys during winter. The species inhabits fast-flowing braided rivers with shingle and gravel beds, where it feeds primarily on aquatic insect larvae, crustaceans, and other riverine invertebrates by probing among stones. It nests on exposed gravel bars and river islands, laying typically four eggs in shallow ground scrapes. Globally classified as Least Concern, the species faces increasing threats from river regulation, hydropower development, gravel extraction, water abstraction, tourism, and disturbance of breeding habitats. The Ibisbill is regarded as an iconic bird of the Himalayan and Central Asian mountain rivers and is celebrated by birdwatchers as a flagship species of pristine alpine river ecosystems.