New Species of Robin Discovered in Gabon

by Vinny | August 17, 2008 at 06:41 am

1785 views | 33 Recommendations | 69 comments

In a world where some species risk extinction it's nice to read about a new one being discovered.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A red-breasted bird discovered by accident in the forests of Gabon is a new species, U.S. scientists said on Friday. They have named the little bird the olive-backed forest robin, or Stiphrornis pyrrholaemus, but say they know little about it yet. The Smithsonian Institution team found the bird while visiting the forest on a biodiversity project, said Brian Schmidt, a research ornithologist at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. "I suspected something when I found the first bird in Gabon since it didn't exactly match any of the species descriptions in the field guides," Schmidt said in a statement.

Via Vinny's Environment News

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Paschen

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 06:59 on August 17th, 2008

Vinny

at 07:03 on August 17th, 2008

Thanks Paschen.

PlanMyGreen

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 08:32 on August 17th, 2008

Vinny, I like this story. It's good stuff.

Vinny

at 08:39 on August 17th, 2008

Many thanks for the flag PlanMyGreen.

Jordan Yerman

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 10:39 on August 17th, 2008

Vinny, I like this story. It's good stuff.

Vinny

at 10:41 on August 17th, 2008

Thanks Jordan.

rahul

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 12:32 on August 17th, 2008

Vinny, I like this story. It is good news for bird watchers. Your story's good stuff.

mchawk

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 14:29 on August 17th, 2008

Vinny, I like this story. It's good stuff.

Vinny

at 14:50 on August 17th, 2008

Thanks for the flags mchawk and rahul.

cfoxtrot

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 17:33 on August 18th, 2008

Vinny, I like this story. It's good stuff.

basimmons

at 17:49 on August 18th, 2008

This is just one of many robins that frequent my backyard bird bath in Southwest Virginia.

basimmons has contributed a photo to this story.

Ruthie Kansas

at 18:55 on August 18th, 2008

Male Robin photographed at Lake City, Colorado.

Ruthie Kansas has contributed a photo to this story.

Karol Lee Hodgson

at 19:56 on August 18th, 2008

photographed in Virginia Beach, Virginia

Karol Lee Hodgson has contributed a photo to this story.

elephantsarepink

at 20:28 on August 18th, 2008

American Robin showin some wing

elephantsarepink has contributed a photo to this story.

ratexla

at 20:48 on August 18th, 2008

This was quite a bold and curious European robin that I encountered in Hyde Park, London, UK. I don't have a great camera, I was just able to get really close!

A larger version is available, just email me if you need one.

ratexla has contributed a photo to this story.

Coutou

at 21:38 on August 18th, 2008

Coutou has contributed a photo to this story.

Thebus48

at 21:46 on August 18th, 2008

This is one of a series of photos of birds bathing. The picture was taken from a hide overlooking an artificial stream, in my garden.

Thebus48 has contributed a photo to this story.

leigh took this

at 21:46 on August 18th, 2008

This European Robin was sitting on a fence 'ticking' an alarm call while waiting to feed it's chicks in a tree about 4 metres away. We suspect it was waiting for me to go away before going to the nest.

leigh took this has contributed a photo to this story.

GranDadWoof

at 21:47 on August 18th, 2008

Juvenile Robins, at least the species living in our garden, are hard to distinguish from juvenile Dunnocks (Hedge Sparrow) except by behaviour. The Dunnock is a shy ground-feeder and the Robin is a bold fellow. The two I've posted here are certainly bold, and probably related.

GranDadWoof has contributed a photo to this story.

Eric Hardy

at 22:16 on August 18th, 2008

Eric Hardy has contributed a photo to this story.

AngeloftheMidlands

at 23:13 on August 18th, 2008

Male robin who joined us by the Lakes of Killarney.

AngeloftheMidlands has contributed a photo to this story.

mary -lou

at 23:27 on August 18th, 2008

photography by mary-lou
www.maryfletcher.co.uk

mary -lou has contributed a photo to this story.

mary -lou

at 23:29 on August 18th, 2008

He was infinately happy to be in the tropical biome at the Eden Project, Cornwall!

durnall2000

at 23:35 on August 18th, 2008

This little Robin comes to my garden now every day, he is always a welcome sight first thing in the morning.

durnall2000 has contributed a photo to this story.

WanderinWeeta

at 23:45 on August 18th, 2008

Photo taken in Strathcona, Vancouver, BC, July 2008

WanderinWeeta has contributed a photo to this story.

cazzyweb

at 23:46 on August 18th, 2008

Robin in a UK garden.

cazzyweb has contributed a photo to this story.

obphotographic

at 23:52 on August 18th, 2008

Image courtesy of OBPhotographic

obphotographic has contributed a photo to this story.

shimofuri729

at 00:15 on August 19th, 2008

This photograph was taken in the mountain stream near the office.
It was able to approach about 2M because there was a run without flying so
much.

This bird is called "KORURI" in Japan.

小瑠璃（コルリ）

It is a name of the meaning of small blue bird.

shimofuri729 has contributed a photo to this story.

sarah peters1

at 00:40 on August 19th, 2008

This robin hopped right in front of me whilst visiting the Samye Ling Tibetan Temple in the Scottish Borders.

sarah peters1 has contributed a photo to this story.

myrontay

at 00:45 on August 19th, 2008

This male magpie robin is a resident of the Singapore Botanic Gardens. They have a "Vulnerable" status here in Singapore due mainly to competition from the better-adapted Mynas (Acridotheres spp.), loss of their favoured habitats: mangroves and rural areas and illegal trapping for the cage-bird trade.

myrontay has contributed a photo to this story.