New Bird Species Found in Cambodia

credit: James Eaton

Sometimes a biologist does not have to journey to the ends of the earth to discover a new species. In the case of the Cambodian tailorbird (Orthotonmus chaktomuk) it was discovered hiding in plain sight at a construction site on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. It is one of only two species endemic to Cambodia according to the Wildlife Conservation Society. Of course, a half century of intense human conflicts in Cambodia have prevented biologists from searching remote habitats for new species.

Attractive male tailorbirds have a distinctive rufous crown, white cheeks, and white on grey throat speckling [photo] with grey underparts and wings.  For their small size they are prodigious singers; male songs often last for one minute and consist of several phrases.  Chaktomuk means "four faces" in Khmer and refers to the confluence of three rivers to form an "X" at Phnom Penh, historically known as Krong Chaktomuk (City of Four Faces). To find a previously undescribed bird within the limits of a large city is unusual, but its habitat of dense scrub helped to conceal its presence until now. Cambodian taylorbirds had to be coaxed into the open for study with recorded vocalizations. The authors of the formal description in the Oriental Bird Club's journal Forktail recommend the Cambodian tailorbird be listed as near-threatened on the ICUN Red List due to declining, fragmented habitat. The fact that a new bird was found so close to man's constructions offer hope that some species will survive if given half a chance. In fact, O. chaktomuk might now be dependent on human activity to keep suitable floodplain scrub habitat from reverting to denser forest.