Zoologists from Trinity College Dublin, working with a research team in Indonesia, have found several new species of colorful, tropical sunbirds. The zoologists have identified a new species, the Wakatobi sunbird (Cinnyris infrenatus), which lives on the tiny Wakatobi Islands in central Indonesia. They also examined the more widespread olive-backed sunbirds and black sunbirds, and found that individuals named as such actually belonged to multiple unrecognized species. In combination, these exciting findings have important implications for our understanding of evolution in this biodiverse region. Living in the tropics from Africa to Australia, sunbirds look similar to the American hummingbirds and fill a similar ecological niche. Male sunbirds often have bright plumage, with iridescent or "metallic" feathers that shine in the sunlight. For hundreds of years, zoologists have examined sunbirds' plumage to name species, over 140 of which are currently recognized. However, by using new forms of evidence, including DNA, song recordings, and statistical analyses of body measurements, the zoologists have revealed that this family is even more diverse than had been realized. Read More: https://phys.org/news/2022-10-beautiful-bird-species-remote-indonesian.html