Scientists Discover Ten New Kinds Of Birds In Indonesia

• 01
  
  via New Scientist

  Somewhere between Indonesia and Australia, a whole world of new plants and animals are waiting to be discovered by humans. This region is bursting with life and is home to a large diversity of birds. A team of international researchers recently published a paper in Science, documenting their discovery of five new species and five new subspecies of birds from the islands Taliabu, Peleng and Togean off the east coast of Sulawesi, a large island governed by Indonesia. This news couldn't have come at a better time, with the Australian bushfires ravaging the wildlife in Australia.  

  The new bird species include the Taliabu Leaf-Warbler, Peleng Fantail, Taliabu Myzomela, Taliabu Grasshopper-Warbler, and the Peleng Leaf-Warbler. The new subspecies are called the Taliabu Island Thrush, Sula Mountain Leaftoiler, Togian Jungle-Flycatcher, Taliabu Snowy-browed Flycatcher, and the Banggai Mountain Leaftoiler. 

  Typically, six new bird species or subspecies are discovered every year. But to find ten new kinds of birds in one go makes it the biggest avian discovery in a century. 

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• 02
  
  via The Guardian

  Frank Rheindt is the an associate professor at the National University of Singapore and is the lead author of the paper. He first visited Sulawesi in 2009, while on vacation. Wanting to go somewhere with the potential of undiscovered species, he focused on traveling to islands that weren't connected to land bridges and were surrounded by deep water. 

  The absence of a connection to the larger islands proved to be an important factor for species diversity. On his 2009 trip, he discovered the ten bird species and subspecies, but to prove them and adequately document them, he had to lead an expedition on the islands. 

• 03
  
  via Audubon

  The expedition was carried out over 2013 and 2014 on the islands of Taliabu, Peleng and Togian. The team used abandoned logging roads to climb 3,600 feet to the peaks of the islands' tallest mountains, where they spent mornings documenting birds caught in nets and afternoons recording audio of the birds' calls. 

  Although the expedition was challenging for the team, who had to deal with monsoonal rain, mud and fungal infections on their feet, it was worth it for the world to gain ten new kinds of birds. This kind of discovery gives us hope that there are still many new species of animals and plants that haven't been found yet. 

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