No one has seen it for 140 years.. A rare type of pheasant pigeon has been discovered
Scientists from the American Bird Conservancy have once again discovered a rare bird belonging to the pheasant pigeon, from the family of pheasant or partridge, that has not been documented for nearly 140 years.
Scientists installed traps for this bird with a camera on Ferguson Island, Papua New Guinea, and the results showed the presence of a rare black-naped pheasant-pigeon, swaying in the pictures.
According to the American Bird Conservancy, the pheasant pigeon is a "large, ground-dwelling pigeon" with a "broad, laterally compressed tail" that lives only on the island off the east coast of Papua New Guinea.
The photos and videos of the bird represent the first time that this bird has been scientifically documented since 1882.
Viewing the images was “the dream moment of your entire life as a conservationist and birdwatcher,” said John C. Mittermeier, director of the Lost Birds Program at the American Bird Conservancy and co-leader of the science expedition.
"I was shocked by this image of this bird walking right next to the camera," said Jordan Bursma, a postdoctoral researcher at Cornell University and co-leader of the expedition team, adding that when the cameras were set up, he realized there was less than a 1 percent chance of being shot. Get a picture of the black-naped pheasant pigeon.
“This rediscovery is an incredible sign of hope for other birds that have been lost for half a century or more,” said Christina Biggs, director of lost species research at Re:wild, an environmental movement dedicated to helping nature heal itself.
Roger Safford, Director of the Prevention of Extinction Program at BirdLife International, said: “In addition to giving hope to searches for other lost species, the detailed information the team has gathered has provided a foundation for the conservation of this extremely rare bird, which should already be critically endangered. Other unique species from Ferguson Island.
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