Buzz
Rediscovering animals believed to be extinct is a rare event, and the Jerdon's babbler (Chrysomma altirostre) has now joined this exclusive group. This small bird, last seen in 1941 in the grasslands of Myitkyo, Bago Region near the Sittaung River, was recently found by a team of researchers from the Wildlife Conservation Society, Myanmar's Nature and Wildlife Conservation Division—MOECAF, and the National University of Singapore (NUS).
While surveying an abandoned agricultural station in Myanmar, the team detected the bird's distinctive call. By playing the call back, they successfully attracted a Jerdon's babbler. Over the next two days, multiple birds were observed in the vicinity. The researchers collected blood samples and captured photographs, with their findings published in the journal Birding Asia.
First identified in 1862 by British naturalist T. C. Jerdon, the Jerdon's babbler was once abundant in the grasslands of Ayeyarwady and Yangon. However, the expansion of agriculture and urbanization led to the loss of its natural habitat, which is thought to have caused the bird's presumed extinction.
The Department of Biological Sciences at the NUS Faculty of Science plans to conduct comprehensive DNA studies to determine whether the Jerdon's babblers in Myanmar qualify as a distinct species instead of a subspecies. If confirmed, these birds will be classified as a top priority for conservation efforts.
"Our audio recordings suggest significant bioacoustic variations between the Myanmar subspecies and those found further west. Genetic data could further validate the uniqueness of the Myanmar population," explained Frank Rheindt, a member of the field team and head of the genetic analysis.
