AP Environmental Science


New Species of Bird Found
September 12, 2006, 8:13 pm
Filed under: Animals

A new species of bird was found in India last May; however, experts just released this information today. The bird, named Bugun Liocichla after the Bugun tribesman who live on the land it was found on, has olive and yellow-golden plumage, a black cap and flame-tipped wings.

So far, only two of these new species have been found and scientists are doing what they can to help protect them. Killing a species is common to research it for scientific study; however, experts were able to obtain feathers, photographs, and record the bird’s song, according to Ramana Athreya, a professional astronomer and keen birdwatcher.

The bird has been declared a new species by experts and the name has been approved by the International Commission on Zoologican Nomenclature.

A new bird species has not been found in the mainland of India since 1948. The Rusty-throated “Mishmi” Wren-babbler Spelaeornis badeigularis was found at that that time.

 The Bugun Liocichla was first spotted in 1995 by Ramana; however, he never succeeded in trapping it with nets until 2006.

What is most remarkable is that this bird has no “geographically close relatives.” The closest looking bird to it is the Emei Shan liocichla found in only a few mountains in central China.

What an amazing miracle!

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