 The Long-Legged Warbler
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Dec. 1, 2003 — A bird believed to have been extinct for over a century has been found alive and warbling in Fiji, a bird group reported.
BirdLife Fiji researchers rediscovered the long-legged warbler (Trichocichla rufa), last seen in 1894, and managed to photograph it for the first time ever. They also recorded its "beautiful warbling songs."
The group said in a statement they found 12 pairs of the rare bird in Wabu Forest Reserve, near Mount Tomaniivi, which at 4,341 feet, is the highest point on the Pacific nation's main island Viti Levu.
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The long-legged warbler is described as a "small, reddish-brown bird, named for its long legs and preference for dense undergrowth."
Another subspecies on the island of Vanua Levu, Trichocichla rufa clunei, was discovered in 1973 when two birds were seen, but the subspecies has not been found again.
"The sighting gives us new hope of finding the other rare endemic birds like the red-throated lorikeet and barred-wing rail," researcher Vilikesa Masibalavu said.
Numbers of many of Fiji's birds have been severely reduced by the mongoose, imported by the British from India.
"The long-legged warbler is a very secretive species, but now that we know its song we can find it and make our first assessment of its conservation needs," said Guy Dutson, BirdLife Project Manager in Fiji.
"They appear to need dense vegetation beside mountain streams. We are happy to conclude that they are surviving in some remote mountain forests."
Although currently safe at Wabu, they remain at risk from forest clearance and mongooses.
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