Still Waters Posted June 5, 2013 #1 Share Posted June 5, 2013 The Amazon rainforest, a well-known epicenter of biodiversity, has offered up another trove of riches. The treasure takes the form of 15 newly described bird species. Some are tiny. One has a long, curved bill. Another is super fluffy. All live in the southern Amazon, most of them in an area known as the “arc of deforestation.” It’s been 140 years since as many new Brazilian bird species were described at one time. http://www.wired.com...mazonian-birds/ 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freetoroam Posted June 5, 2013 #2 Share Posted June 5, 2013 Amazing and fascinating. Are they mutated or evolving as they belong to an order that includes ravens, sparrows, and finches. or birds which have always been there, but never discovered before? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technocrat Posted June 7, 2013 #3 Share Posted June 7, 2013 Amazing and fascinating. Are they mutated or evolving as they belong to an order that includes ravens, sparrows, and finches. or birds which have always been there, but never discovered before? Yes, a very good point indeed. If they are mutations then they mightn't have been there a very few years ago. I wonder what the experts would have to say about that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannin Posted June 7, 2013 #4 Share Posted June 7, 2013 cool i love seing new species, its refreshing to know not everything has been discovered 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abramelin Posted June 7, 2013 #5 Share Posted June 7, 2013 Amazing and fascinating. Are they mutated or evolving as they belong to an order that includes ravens, sparrows, and finches. or birds which have always been there, but never discovered before? It is no surprise to me. The Amazon rainforest is very dense, and scientists have not researched the whole area. It's not easy terrain to travel through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paperdyer Posted June 7, 2013 #6 Share Posted June 7, 2013 (edited) "Describing new species is not a trivial task," Silveira said. Many sang different songs, or had different genetic sequences than previously known birds. "We considered a bird as a new species when at least two of the three criteria plumage, voice, and genetics were consistently different from some previously known and closely related, already described species." So I guess they need to catch the birds to determine the genetics. I hope they aren't hurting them to do so. Edited June 7, 2013 by paperdyer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CloudSix Posted June 7, 2013 #7 Share Posted June 7, 2013 Incredible, I love hearing about new species being discovered, just fills me up with hope Just one thing I'm curious about, the "arc of deforestation"?. I find it strange that they are discovered there, but i'm no ornithologist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pallidin Posted June 13, 2013 #8 Share Posted June 13, 2013 Yeah, great discovery. Unfortunately, deforestation by companies and locals in such regions are threatening our ability to find interesting, perhaps beneficial, new plants and creatures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mistydawn Posted June 15, 2013 #9 Share Posted June 15, 2013 Makes you wonder could there be a better species of man hidden away in there.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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