Shimla, July 24 -- In a significant addition to Himachal Pradesh's avian records, the Yellow-footed Green Pigeon (Treron phoenicopterus) has been documented for the first time in Kinnaur district at an elevation of around 3,400 metres in the Rakchham-Chitkul Wildlife Sanctuary, marking the highest recorded occurrence of the species in the state.
The rare sighting was made by Block Forest Officer Santosh Kumar Thakur and Van Mitra Alpna Negi at Rakchham.
The observation has been forwarded to the state's birding and ornithological community for verification and inclusion in official records.
The Yellow-footed Green Pigeon is generally found in lowland plains, sub-montane forests, orchards and gardens, usually up to elevations of about 2,40...