Open AccessLost and found: the enigmatic large‐billed reed warbler Acrocephalus orinus rediscovered after 139 years
Author(s) -
D. Round Philip,
Hansson Bengt,
J. Pearson David,
R. Kennerley Peter,
Bensch Staffan
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of avian biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.022
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1600-048X
pISSN - 0908-8857
DOI - 10.1111/j.2007.0908-8857.04064x
Subject(s) - acrocephalus , warbler , biology , population , zoology , ecology , demography , sociology , habitat
We present compelling evidence of the continued existence of the large‐billed reed warbler Acrocephalus orinus , hitherto known only from the unique type specimen collected in NW India 139 years ago. Morphological and genetic analyses of an unusual Acrocephalus warbler mist‐netted south‐west of Bangkok, Thailand, on 27 March 2006, confirmed its identity as A. orinus , and revealed that it was heterozygous at four out of eight microsatellite markers, indicating the continued existence of a viable population whose breeding and wintering areas are still unknown.