World's "Least Known" Bird Rediscovered in Afghanistan War Zone

The Large-Billed Reed Warbler holds the unfortunate title, according to avian experts, of being the "world's least known bird." For 142 years, since its first observation in 1867, it was only seen alive three times. But that number just jumped to four times, as an international team of scientists recently found the elusive bird in a remote land corridor in Afghanistan.

(Large-billed Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus orinus) Photo credits: Wildlife Conservation Society Afghanistan)

Before I go on here, imagine what bird-watching in this part of war torn Afghanistan must have been like. Credit must go to Afghan ornithologists Naqeebullah Mostafawi, Ali Madad Rajabi and Hafizullah Noori from the Wildlife Conservation Society Afghanistan, who risked their lives and managed to travel to the Badakshan region to capture 15 of the mysterious birds using nets. 

(The bird's habitat)

They suspected the bird was the Large-Billed Reed Warbler because a recording of a puzzling, unidentified bird song made by American ornithologist Robert Timmins in 2008 found its way to Swedish ornithologist Lars Svensson last year. Based on Timmins' visual description and Svensson's keen ear, the two suspected the song was crooned by the warbler.

Although earlier research on the bird was obviously sparse, it did point to North-Eastern Afghanistan as being the bird's home. Later DNA analysis of the captured birds confirmed the predictions.

The bird is under "acute threat," according to the scientists, who say its breeding sites are being deforested by the local human population in their hunt for fuel.

"That's why it's vital that we protect both the species and its habitat now," says Urban Olsson.

Here's a list of FAQ's from WCS Afghanistan about the bird, based on the recent findings:

• The Large-billed Reed Warbler belongs to the reed warbler family: a group of small brown and white birds usually found in habitats where there are willows, reeds, sedge and other vegetation, in or close to water.
• The Large-Billed Reed Warbler is the same size as a reed warbler, approximately 13-14 centimeters long, and is also similar in color: the upper plumage is an even brown color with pale greenish-gray variation, while the underside is a rusty beige-white color.
• There is a short, pale streak above the eye, apart from which the bird lacks any distinctive features.
• The bird's name indicates that it has a long beak, somewhat longer in terms of its proportions than that of Swedish reed warblers. Furthermore the wings are short and rounded, while the tail feathers are quite long.
• The species was found in the Wakhan region in the province of Badakshan in North-Eastern Afghanistan. The Wakhan region forms a 300km-long corridor up to the Himalayas, which runs between Tajikistan, Pakistan and China.
• The area is known for its rich bird life, but is extremely difficult to access for field studies due to the ongoing conflicts. Accessing the region also takes several days' travel.