Category: news

Does the Java Blue-banded Kingfisher (Alcedo Euryzona) really exist?

Java Blue-banded Kingfisher (Alcedo Euryzona) is a “new” species split of from nominate status to full species status in 2013. This Java endemic kingfisher is firmly bound to rivers in lowland forest which is lost in an alarming rate throughout its range. There is only one sighting known, in 2009, since the thirties, the population […]

Rarest birds in the World: Nightingale Reed-warbler (Acrocephalus luscinius)

This species qualifies as Critically Endangered because the very rapid rate of decline is expected to increase owing to habitat loss and degradation. This is combined with the impact of introduced predators including brown tree snake on Saipan. It is a 18 cm large, scruffy-looking warbler with long bill and erect head feathers when singing. […]

Rarest birds in the World: the Millerbird (Acrocephalus familiaris)

This species occurs on one extremely small island and undergoes marked population fluctuations, owing to climatic events, reducing it to tiny numbers. It is a 13 cm small, inconspicuous, thin-billed warbler. Brown above, darkest on crown, white below. It sings a simple song of rapid, metallic notes. It is endemic to the steep, rocky island […]

Red list 2014

More than 350 newly recognised bird species have been assessed by BirdLife International for the first time on behalf of The IUCN Red List of Threatened Speciesâ„¢. Worryingly, more than 25% of these newly recognised birds have been listed as threatened on The IUCN Red List – compared with 13% of all birds – making […]

A new Bird News Blog started

Gyorgy Szimuly, an UK based conservationist, has started a new blog on bird conservation and research news. He is best known for his work on Shorebird conservation and on the creative side his nature photography. Being a well established force in social media combined with birding, he felt a site posting global bird news on […]

White-winged Flufftail Sarothrura ayresi is on the very edge of extinction

White-winged Flufftail Sarothrura ayresi, a secretive and unobtrusive sub-Saharan bird, is the latest species to join the growing list of those on the very edge of extinction. Destruction and degradation of its high altitude wet grassland habitat, including wetland drainage, conversion for agriculture, water abstraction, overgrazing by livestock and cutting of marsh vegetation, have driven […]

Red List for Birds 2013: Number of Critically Endangered birds hits new high

The number of bird species listed as Critically Endangered has reached an all-time high with the release of this year’s Red List for birds by BirdLife International. White-winged Flufftail Sarothrura ayresi, a secretive and unobtrusive sub-Saharan bird, is the latest species to join the growing list of those on the very edge of extinction. Destruction […]