The Dulcet Shriek of the Rare Sumatran Ground Cuckoo!

[3113]

Recorded, filmed and bagged. The bird folk are delighted, the bird is just confused

Biologists record call of rare bird

DALLAS (Reuters) - The call of the rare Sumatran ground cuckoo, which was widely believed extinct until a decade ago, has been recorded for the first time, the New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society said on Monday.

Recognizing a bird's call is a vital tool of science as it is often the only way for ornithologists in the field to identify elusive forest-dwelling birds.

A team of WCS biologists managed to record the bird's call -- a piercing two-syllable shriek -- after it was caught by a trapper who handed it over to them.

A fairly large and striking bird with a long tail, green plumage and blue facial markings, it is found only in the remote jungles of the tropical Indonesian island of Sumatra.

"We were extremely lucky to have recorded the bird's unique call," said Firdaus Rahman, of WCS's Indonesia Program. "Our team will use the recording to hopefully locate other Sumatran ground cuckoos, and to eventually secure their protection."

It was known by only a handful of specimens collected over the past century and many scientists had written it off as extinct until one was briefly spotted in 1997.

It is regarded as one of the world's rarest and most secretive birds.

The bird that was recorded is being nursed back to health and will be released back into the wild. It is not known at this point if it makes other sounds.

Poor cuckoo. Went out for a walk. Did a little shrieking...and got jacked. Here he is, prior to the mugging:

http://www.birdlife.org/images/sized/400/b_sumatran_ground-cuckoo.jpg.jpg​

 

[shereads]

I was concerned when I saw the dateline on this story: Dallas. A lot of shooting goes on in Texas, with birds as the intended target.

 

[glynndah]

No wonder they thought it was extinct. They were looking for it in Sumatra and it was in Dallas.

 

[Stella_Omega]

http://www.birdlife.org/images/sized/400/b_sumatran_ground-cuckoo.jpg.jpg

I dusted this bird, during the time I worked in exhibits at the Chicago Field Museum. Truth!

 

[R. Richard]

I hate to have to be the one to say it, but you work without an agent and this sort of thing happens.

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

http://www.birdlife.org/images/sized/400/b_sumatran_ground-cuckoo.jpg.jpg

I dusted this bird, during the time I worked in exhibits at the Chicago Field Museum. Truth!

Isn't it kinda late to introduce it back into the wild if you dusted it?

 

[Jubal_Harshaw]

No wonder they thought it was extinct. They were looking for it in Sumatra and it was in Dallas.

It migrated to the US. Not unusual, everyone else is coming here.

The important question is; Was it carrying coconuts?

 

[cantdog]

mugging

Recorded, filmed and bagged. The bird folk are delighted, the bird is just confused

Poor cuckoo. Went out for a walk. Did a little shrieking...and got jacked. Here he is, prior to the mugging:

Back in the day, science used to be done Dallas-style. Ornithologists might have a light-caliber birding gun.

*boom*

*flump*

The bird hits the forest floor and the scientific party approaches. Dr. Rickhardt extends the barrel to the beast, and rolls it over.

"What a beautiful animal!"