The Hindu : Front Page : Excitement for ornithologists

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 12, 2006
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Excitement for ornithologists

K. Venkateshwarlu

New species found in Arunachal Pradesh

Photo: Ramana Athreya

Bugun liocichla.

HYDERABAD: In a significant ornithological discovery, a new bird species, Bugun liocichla, has been identified in Arunachal Pradesh.

Strikingly coloured, its overall plumage has various shades of olive. It has a black cap, a bright yellow patch in front of the eyes, and golden yellow, crimson, black and white patches on the wings. The red-tipped tail feathers are flame coloured on the underside.

A babbler

Dr. Ramana Athreya, a birdwatcher and a member of the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), named the bird, which is a kind of babbler, after the Bugun tribe of the northeastern State, where it was found at the remote Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary. Although two of the species were caught, both were released and no scientific specimen was collected. "We thought the bird was just too rare for one to be killed," he said. "With today's modern technology, we could gather all the information we needed to confirm it as a new species. We took feathers and photographs and recorded the bird's song."

Differences

A detailed examination of the birds in the sanctuary revealed many plumage and vocal differences, compared to specimens and tape recordings of Emei Shan Liocichlas, according to a note from the BNHS. The known population of Bugun liocichla is just 14, including three breeding pairs. The species is not particularly shy and is very distinctive, so it must be very rare or it would certainly have been found earlier, the note added.

Considering the rarity of the bird and the discovery, birdwatchers across the country are quite excited. For Aasheesh Pittie, Hyderabad-based birdwatcher and Editor of Indian Birds, it was "the kind of paper you dream about receiving." The full description of the bird is published in its current issue, after it was peer-reviewed by experts from Germany, the U.K. and the U.S. "The discovery of a new bird is really special, but when it 's a stunning species with no geographically close relatives and in a part of the world where bird collectors have sampled birds for more than a century, it's nothing short of a miracle," Mr. Pittie said.

Need for protection

Dr. Asad R. Rahmani , Director, BNHS, said: "This discovery again proves the importance and need of extensive research and exploration in northeastern India. We must also see that the habitat is protected for such species. Presumably the new species has a tiny range, so habitat protect ion is very important for its survival."

Mr. Pittie said the last species discovered in the field in mainland India was the Rusty-throated "Mishmi" Wren-babbler Spelaeornis badeigularis, described by Ripley from eastern Arunachal Pradesh in 1948.

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