By Shaun Hurrell, 23 May
2016
The blue eyes of an extremely
rare bird hadn’t been seen for nearly a century. In one of the most
extraordinary stories in Brazilian conservation, a group of researchers have
announced the comeback of the Blue-eyed Ground-dove. Last documented in 1941, it
was believed extinct. But now the species has been found at top-secret
locations in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais.
However researchers can only
confirm sightings of 12 individuals, so securing its habitat will be the key to
conserving this elusive bird.
Imagine the buzz in the crowd
last weekend at the Brazilian Birdwatching Festival when ornithologist Rafael
Bessa unveiled his rediscovery. The highly-anticipated talk was named ‘Species
X’ and for the first time in history, this bird’s song was played to the
public. Previously known from a handful of stuffed and ageing museum specimens
and some more recent unsubstantiated reports, Bessa brought the
Blue-eyed Ground Dove Columbina cyanopis back to life.
“When he played the video there
was a commotion in the crowd and non-stop applause,” said Pedro Develey, SAVE
Brasil (BirdLife in Brazil). “It was pure emotion.”
For the last few months the group
of researchers - supported by SAVE Brasil, Rainforest Trust, and Butantan Bird
Observatory – have been working in secret to scientifically report the
rediscovery, and to simultaneously develop a conservation plan that secures the
Critically Endangered bird’s long-term survival.
Describing the rediscovery, Bessa
told Estadão:
“I returned to the place and I
could recreate this vocalization with my microphone. I reproduced the sound and
the bird landed on a flowering bush, coming towards me. I photographed the
animal, and when I looked at the picture carefully, I saw that I had recorded
something unusual. My legs started shaking.”
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