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New Species Of Bird Found In Laos – A Bald Songbird

Bare-faced Bulbul, new bird species

Bare-faced Bulbul photo by Iain Woxvold

The number of bird species in the world has just grown by one with the announcement of a newly discovered songbird in Laos. The twist on this already intriguing news is that the bird is bald — a trait rarely seen in songbirds.

Scientists named it the Bare-faced Bulbul because of the lack of feathers on its face and part of its head.

It is the first new species of bulbul – a family of more than 130 species – described in Asia in more than 100 years. The bird is the only bald songbird in mainland Asia, and one of only a handful in the world.  Read the entire story at Birder’s World.

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  • Glen Webber - NZ Birder. April 29, 2012, 8:42 pm

    Wow. What an amazing discovery.
    Always good news when species numbers are going up!

    Cheers,
    Glen.