First Known Photos of ‘Lost Bird’ Not Seen in 2 Decades are Captured by University of Texas Scientists

[Michie]

The first-ever photograph of Yellow-crested Helmetshrike (Prionops alberti) Credit: Matt Brady / The University of Texas at El Paso

For the first time, scientists have captured photos of a bird in Africa that was unseen for nearly twenty years.

Known as the Yellow-crested Helmetshrike, the species had been listed as a ‘lost bird’ by the American Bird Conservancy because it had not been spotted in nearly two decades.

Scientists from the University of Texas at El Paso discovered a small flock of the birds during a six-week expedition to a mountain range in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

“It was a mind-blowing experience to come across these birds. We knew they might be possible here, but I was not prepared for how spectacular and unique they would appear in life,” said UTEP assistant professor Michael Harvey, Ph.D, an ornithologist.

Continued below.

First Known Photos of ‘Lost Bird’ Not Seen in 2 Decades are Captured by University of Texas Scientists

For the first time, scientists have captured photos of a bird in Africa unseen for nearly 20 years—the striking yellow-crested helmetshrike.

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