Irish scientists discover new bird species

Irish scientists discover new bird species
Wednesday, June 04, 2014 - 10:00 PM



A new species of a tiny, colourful bird has been found by Irish scientists in a small under-explored island chain in the tropics.

Zoologists from Trinity College Dublin named the new find the Wakatobi Flowerpecker (Dicaeum kuehni) after identifying it on numerous expeditions to the biodiversity hotspot of Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Sean Kelly, PhD student at Trinity and lead author of the study confirming the discovery, warned that the pace of development in the region could wipe out other undocumented creatures before they are identified.

“As humans are changing the natural environments of Sulawesi at an incredibly fast rate, the discovery and description of species in the region is of major importance,” he said.



The female flowerpecker.

More:
http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/world/irish-scientists-discover-new-bird-species-632525.html