Bird watching is trying to gain wing in Nepal, spurred by a unique manual prepared by an American father-and-son team.
Nepalis are not known to be great book readers to begin with, and due to the neglect of English education, publications in English receive scantier attention. So it is a wonder that a book on birds written in English commands a high premium in Kathmandu´s handful of English bookshops.
Birds of Nepal, written by the father-son duo Robert L. Fleming, Sr & Jr, has been sold out for five years, and the stray copy that surfaces now and then is snapped up by bird enthusiasts for up to USD 250 (NPR 15,000), much over the cover price of NPR 250.
The book by the American authors also has the distinction of introducing the ornithology of Nepal to the world, and getting the Nepalis themselves interested in the bird life which is so abundant in their country.