Climate change is not only melting Himalayan glaciers, but it is also threatening its bird life, according to a new study. Some 15,000 glaciers are retreating at between 15 and 30 metres per year, and the snowline has retreated up the mountains.

The Himalaya has the greatest diversity of river birds in the world, and this puts their future at risk. Among the endangered species is the Ibisbill, a wading bird that breeds in the glacial valleys of Langtang in central Nepal. It is particularly threatened because it depends on a unique and fragile habitat. The Ibisbill nests on shingle banks in slow-flowing rivers. Its ecosystem will move upwards as the climate changes but the river valleys will not. The Ibisbill, like other birds, may not be able to adapt.

(Climate Action Network)