New study doubles the estimate of bird species in the world
Monday, December 12, 2016 - 13:11
in Biology & Nature
New research led by the American Museum of Natural History suggests that there are about 18,000 bird species in the world—nearly twice as many as previously thought. The work focuses on "hidden" avian diversity—birds that look similar to one another, or were thought to interbreed, but are actually different species. Recently published in the journal PLOS ONE, the study has serious implications for conservation practices.