Rare birds found in Kutai

SAMARINDA, East Kalimantan: The East Kalimantan nature conservation office in association with a team of Dutch researchers have found an endangered species of bird in the Kutai hinterland which was not known to be living in the area.

"The discovery is surprising because the species was only thought to occur in Vietnam and was considered to be extinct in other parts of the world," head of the local conservation office Ade Rahmat said here on Thursday night.

He said the rare species was found accidentally by the research team who were studying jungle fowl.

While conducting research along the upper reaches of the Mahakam River in Kutai, they spotted a flock of Ibis (Ipseudibis Davisoni) birds and identified them purely out of curiosity.

The bird looks similar to a heron and has a blue head and blue and white plumage on the underside of its wings.

The team subsequently attempted to find where the birds roosted and in the process observed that they always flew in a flock.