Reuters AlertNet Lite - Multicolored Colombian bird hailed as new species

Reuters AlertNet Full site

NEWSDESK

Multicolored Colombian bird hailed as new species

10 Oct 2006 21:53:47 GMT
Source: Reuters

BOGOTA, Colombia, Oct 10 (Reuters) - A multicolored bird with reddish-brown and black eyes has been discovered as a new species in a Colombian cloud forest accessible only by helicopter, scientists say.

The fist-sized yellow and black Yariguies Brush-Finch, topped with an orange plume, was found by a Colombian-English ProAves Foundation team high atop the country's eastern Andean range in Santander province.

Discovery of the bird, named after an Indian tribe that once lived in the nature reserve where it was found, was published in the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club.

Colombia, one of the most ecologically diverse countries in the world, has about 1,800 species of bird.

"The description of a new bird is a rare event," said expedition member Blanca Huertas of The Natural History Museum in London. "However, this is just the first of several new species that we will be describing from the Yariguies mountains, including several new butterflies."

Legend has it that the Yariguies tribe committed mass suicide to avoid enslavement by Spanish conquistadors.

AlertNet news is provided by

Email this article Send comments

Topics

• Technology

MORE >>

Countries

Small country map
© 2004 Europa Technologies Ltd.

Reset map

• Colombia profile
· View map

MORE >>

NGO latest

• Diarmuid Gavin has Grand Designs for eco living
Christian Aid - UK

• Andrew Mitchell MP visits Christian Aid eco-house at Grand Designs Live NEC
Christian Aid - UK

• Christian Aid speaks up for poor people at party conferences
Christian Aid - UK

• Wake up and smell the coffee at the London Film Festival
Christian Aid - UK

• Excellent start by Milliband on climate change, says Christian Aid
Christian Aid - UK

MORE >>

Latest news

• Multicolored Colombian bird hailed as new species

• Georgia raps Russia's "xenophobia", row rumbles on

• Global warming seen pushing up insurance costs

• Armed villagers invade Nigerian Shell oil platform

• UK targets terrorism funding, pays troops more

MORE >>

Last updated:Tue Oct 10 21:58:16 2006