American scientists say they have discovered a new robin species in the Central African Republic, a find ornithologists say illustrates how little is known about birds in Africa.
Pamela Beresford announced the discovery at the 22nd International Ornithological Congress, which has brought together more than 1,000 of the world's leading birders in this city. The meeting will continue through Saturday.A graduate student with the American Museum of Natural History in New York, Beresford first encountered the bird in November 1996, during a World Wildlife Fund-sponsored survey in the Central African Republic.
"When we first collected it, we thought it was a typical forest robin. But when we tried to classify it, we realized we had something new," Beresford said.
The small olive-brown bird is similar to other forest robins except that its throat and upper breast are bright yellow-red and its stomach is a shade of yellow.
Other forest robins typically have white stomachs and upper breasts. Beresford had to examine some 300 specimens from 89 different areas at seven museums before she was convinced it was a new species.
Beresford declined to provide details such as the bird's name, height and weight until after a full scientific description is published.