A New Year and a new bird. A new species of babbler was recently discovered in southwest China. Professors Zhou Fang and Jiang Aiwu of the College of Animal Sciences and Technology, Guangxi University announced the discovery in a recent edition of the The Auk, the journal of The American Ornithologists’ Union.
Ecce the Nonggang Babbler, Stachyris nonggangensis:
Photo Credit: James Eaton; Birdtour Asia
The Shanghai Daily’s resident ornithologist reported that the bird had been “found in a network of underground caves in southwest China,” but he appears to have been confused by a reference to the karst topography (characterized by limestone caves) of the region where the birds were found. The birds aren’t cave dwellers; “Most of the individuals we observed were on rocks in forests, and few were in trees.” About 100 pairs of the birds have been observed so far.
In an interview with Birdlife International, Professor Zhou said that
The limestone area in south-western Guangxi is part of the Indo-Burma global biodiversity hotspot and the south-east Chinese Mountains Endemic Bird Area, and is one of the most typical tropical karst regions in the world. The fragility of the karst ecosystem and its destruction by people pose great threats to the bird’s existence. Therefore, research and conservation of the birds in this habitat is very urgent.
The Nonggang Babbler is hereby designated the official bird of CELB.
9 responses so far ↓
1 L. Advice // Feb 2, 2009 at 11:51 am
That bird does not look too healthy to me. Isn’t it moulting around the collar there? And the eyes are glassy…..
2 cmcelwee // Feb 2, 2009 at 12:28 pm
You wouldn’t look very healthy either if you spent your entire life in a cave! As for the glassy eyes, they are what induced us to name it the offical CELB bird.
3 Chris Devonshire-Ellis // Feb 3, 2009 at 5:33 pm
Great and encouraging news in one way, disturbing in another as man continues to encroach on species habitats. Still it’s always nice to find a new species.
4 cmcelwee // Feb 3, 2009 at 5:58 pm
You’re absolutely right Chris. This species’ existence seems especially fragile. Who knows how many other unidentified species in China may have gone the way of the Passenger Pigeon over the last 50 years. Yet, it is encouraging that this species was discovered by Chinese professors, and that there are indigenous calls to protect its habitat.
5 Chris Devonshire-Ellis // Feb 4, 2009 at 4:55 pm
Well, the Passenger Pigeon was an American bird. But THIS was very much a Chinese species, much loved, and is sadly no more:
The Yangtze River Dolphin.
http://www.china-briefing.com/news/2007/08/09/chinese-river-dolphin-first-mammal-to-become-extinct-in-50-years.html
Still very sad about it and it shows just how far China has to go to learn how to protect its natural assets. The story of the Dolphin is an absolute tragedy. Fingers crossed the Nonggang Babbler can hold on.
6 cmcelwee // Feb 4, 2009 at 5:04 pm
I agree that the Yangtze River Dolphin’s demise was a terrible tragedy. I only mentioned the Passenger Pigeon to add an allusion that America was not always so careful with its species. Let’s just hope we can celebrate more new specifies, and not have to mourn any more departed ones.
7 Brad Luo // Feb 8, 2009 at 12:29 pm
Charlie:
Your mention of the Yangtze River Dolphin (the Baiji Tun) conjures memories of my personal experience with QiQi, one of the last ones alive in captivity in Wuhan. When I was in college there, I learned that there was a research center right on the East Lake, where they had been trying to breed the dolphins in captivity. They were not so successful. But, I was lucky enough to actually see and touch QiQi, who died not long after I came to the States. Sad story, but I am really glad that I got to touch one before the entire species apparently disappeared.
8 cmcelwee // Feb 8, 2009 at 7:03 pm
Brad: That is a great story! But as you say, very sad. I think deep down I hold out hope that a few of these dolphins still survive undiscovered somewhere, and that they will make a come back if and when the river is cleaned up.
9 Greg // Feb 9, 2009 at 1:27 pm
More likely the dolphin’s DNA, some sperm and eggs were collected. It should be possible for a seeing dolphin to birth a Baiji Tun.
It says alot about how toxic the Yangtze is when a complex species gets knocked off like that.
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