Natural History Wanderings

From BirdLife International

 Strange looking bird makes welcome reappearance

One of the world’s least known (and frankly, strangest looking) birds has been photographed on the Samoan island of Savai’i by researchers.

The sighting of the young Tooth-billed Pigeon Didunculus strigirostris, by a team from the the Samoan Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE), is the first confirmed sighting in almost a decade.

Tooth-billed Pigeon or Manumea, as it is locally known, is endemic to Samoa and is the country’s national bird. BirdLife lists it as Endangered due to its small, fragmented range and population. It has declined rapidly over the last 20 years as a result of hunting and habitat loss. However, the lack of recent records may mean its status needs to be reassessed.

See photo and full story at Strange looking bird makes welcome reappearance | BirdLife.