Malyasia's Mystery Plover - "White-faced Plover"

[admin]

We're very excited to announce David Bakewell and Peter Kennerley's new article "Malyasia's Mystery Plover". Is it possible that a small plover, not described or illustrated in any modern literature or field guide occurs in southeast Asia? Packed with informative photographs, David and Peter explore the possible identity of a small plover in Asia.

Please post your feedback here and reply to this thread and if we have any readers in Asia who might have photos to add to the discussion, please add them to this thread too.

David and Peter are currently travelling but we look forward to your thoughts.

[Bobolink44]

fascinating read - not every day you hear of a new species and looks like this one has been lurking under everyone's noses. kudos to authors on some very painstaking research and having the courage to stand up and publish this - now what needs to be done about conversation - it must be a rare bird no?

[Dave B]

Originally Posted by Bobolink44

fascinating read - not every day you hear of a new species and looks like this one has been lurking under everyone's noses. kudos to authors on some very painstaking research and having the courage to stand up and publish this - now what needs to be done about conversation - it must be a rare bird no?

Yes, rare, and threatened. I've just heard that the site where they were being seen in Vietnam has been destroyed. It makes catching them and getting DNA analysis done a top priority.

[AndyB]

Hi Dave, great article. Any idea of how many pairs might be out there and if BirdLife International will be stepping in to make sure this bird doesn't go extinct right after it's been discovered?

[Dave B]

Originally Posted by Andy Birch

Hi Dave, great article. Any idea of how many pairs might be out there and if BirdLife International will be stepping in to make sure this bird doesn't go extinct right after it's been discovered?

Hi Andy,

I think it's still too early to come up with population estimates, but chances are that the population is small, otherwise they would surely have been noticed before now. The max seen at one time remains only 12 birds.

Peter and I will be talking about next steps with regard to conservation measures in the coming weeks.

[Brian S]

Dave

I think the article is brilliant, with just the right balance reached. Looking at the photos, and having been with Peter at Tring checking the specimens, it is hard to imagine it as a subspecies of KP. The clear structural and plumage differences clearly hint at it being a different species, but DNA would obviously be the priority in confirming this - if there is DNA available for the other species around it, for comparison, that is.

Brian small

[forktail]

Hey

I think most of us expected the next dozen new species to come from Asia to be as a result of its vastly overlumped avifauna. This came as a real suprise. Amazing observations Dave. Makes you wonder what else we might have missed... and indeed if some of us might not have seen a few of these without being observant enough to realise it.

Dave, have you considered an article for Birding Asia or Forktail? PM me if you want more details (although you may have been contacted already!) There was a fantastic article in Birding World a while back about the overlumped taxa of Asia. There are LOTS of new birds coming, the only sticking point is people having time to do the studies and write the papers!

Again, well done Dave. Very impressive.

[Dave B]

[QUOTE=forktail;2938]
PM me if you want more details (although you may have been contacted already!) QUOTE]

Hi Forktail,

Be glad to if I knew how! Alternatively, you could email me at the address given at the end of the article.

Thanks,

Dave

[AndyB]

Hi Dave and anyone else who wants to know how to PM (private message) another member, just click on their username (username is big blue and underlined to left of their post) and click "send a private message"

To access private messages other members may have sent you, look for the link under your name on the top right of the page. It says "welcome, your name"

You can set it up so that you get an email whenever anyone sends you a private message and change any other preferences such as signature etc by clicking on the "User CP" link in the blue bar above. Best, Andy

[admin]

I see Peter Ericsson has posted a photo on World Rarities Gallery...link and details below

'White-faced Plover", Thailand, Lampakbia 13 Jan08 © Peter Ericsson
the 'White-faced Plover' as described on Surfbirds......from the birding hot spot of Lampakbia,Thailand