Unique robin discovered
American scientists say they have accidentally discovered a new species of robin in the forests of the Republic of Gabon, a country in Central Africa.
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Brian Schmidt, an ornithologist at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, said: As part of a biodiversity project, the Smithsonian research team discovered the bird while visiting the forest.
“We were expecting something when we discovered the first bird in Gabon, because it did not quite match any of the characteristics of other species in this area,” he said.
“I have previously compared each feature of this bird with some other specimens we have in our collection, but it is clear that this is a special bird.”
Genetic testing has confirmed that this robin, which measures 4.5 inches (about 11cm) long and weighs an average of about 14 grams, is a unique species.
Writing in Zootaxa, the Smithsonian team said the males have a deep orange chest and throat, a yellow belly, an olive back and black head feathers. The females have similar features, but are less brightly colored. A distinctive white spot in front of each eye is also a distinguishing feature.
Schmidt added that although discovering an unknown species like the aforementioned robin was not the goal of this project, it would certainly serve as a reminder to people that the world still holds many surprises for us.
According to CAND
