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July 17, 2002
The September 2002 issue of BirdLife's World Birdwatch magazine
The September 2002 issue of BirdLife's World Birdwatch magazine includes a photograph by Guy Dutson of an unknown rail on the island of Malaita, Solomon Islands, in July 2002. The rail closely resembled the flightless Woodford's Rail Nesoclopeus woodfordi known from four other islands in the Solomons, but was browner with more pale spots on the wings. Malaita is a poorly-known island with several endemic species, and this rail could well be a new species. For details of how to subscribe to World Birdwatch, the essential publication for world birders, see www.birdlife.net/help/wbwmag.cfm
The September 2002 issue of BirdLife?s World Birdwatch magazine announces the rediscovery of the Anambra Waxbill Estrilda poliopareia, and includes perhaps the first ever colour photograph published of this species. This, the first sighting of the Anambra Waxbill since 1987, occurred at Tombia, southern Nigeria, when around 40 birds were discovered in the grounds of a nursing college earlier this year. The Anambra Waxbill is a Vulnerable species, known only from a few localities in southern Nigeria, and is seemingly very rare despite large areas of apparently suitable habitat. Some taxonomists have considered it a race of the widespread Fawn-breasted Waxbill E. paludicola of southern Africa, but the Anambra Waxbill differs in its white iris, larger size, brighter plumage and larger bill, features that are clearly visible in the published photograph.
Posted by Surfbirds at July 17, 2002 11:18 PM
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