One of the rarest “ lost bird ” on planet Earth has been fleck for the first time in years , giving conservationists hope that the gorgeous species might not be quite as screwed as once cerebrate .
TheSanta Marta sabrewing(Campylopterus phainopeplus ) – an emerald fleeceable and electric dismal hummingbird – was recently trance on television camera by a local birdwatcher in Colombia ’s Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains , according to an annunciation fromRe : hazardous .
“ This sighting was a complete surprisal , but a very welcome one , ” Yurgen Vega , who made the rediscovery studying endemic hoot in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta , said in astatement .
Another recent shot of the Santa Marta sabrewing (Campylopterus phainopeplus). Image credit: Yurgen Vega/SELVA/ProCAT
“ As I was leaving the region where I had been working , a hummingbird catch my attention . I got out my field glasses and was shocked to see that it was a Santa Marta sabrewing , and in an unbelievable cam stroke of fortune the hummingbird roost on a limb giving me time to take picture and video . "
The mintage is so elusive that it ’s only been documented in the wild a fistful of times : once when it was first discovered by scientist in 1946 then again in 2010 when the first - ever photos of the coinage in the state of nature were take . There ’s been a smattering of possible sightings over the years , but they have never been confirmed .
fear the bird might have precipitate into experimental extinction , the species was added to the Re : wildSearch for Lost Birdsproject that set out to find 10 raspberry that have n’t had a confirmed sighting in a decade or more .
“ It ’s so unbelievable to see photograph and telecasting of the Santa Marta sabrewing , ” say John C Mittermeier , director of threatened species outreach at American Bird Conservancy .
“ It ’s like seeing a phantom . When we announced the top 10 most precious lost hiss last yr , we hop that it would enliven birders to count for these specie . And as this rediscovery shows , sometimes lost metal money re - come out when we least require it . Hopefully , rediscoveries like this will urge preservation action . "
Next to nothing is know about the Santa Marta sabrewing , except that they live in the humid neotropical forests of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains at an superlative between 1,200 to 1,800 meters ( 4,000 and 6,000 feet ) .
They ’re comparatively big for a hummingbird and can be distinguish by their vibrant green feathers and iridescent blue neck . They also sing a distinctive song , which Vega take heed when he captured the recent exposure .
While this sighting curb promises , the metal money is still in a bunch of fuss and remains list as “ critically endangered ” on the IUCN Red List . Researchers mistrust that the universe of Santa Marta sabrewings in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is very modest and most likely decreasing .
