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Birding Hongbenghe, Yunnan

10,000 Birds

The Latin name “ chinensis ” is somewhat misleading as is much more common in Southeast Asia than in China – apparently, it was chosen in the mistaken belief that the type specimen had come from China. The Crested Serpent Eagle is another species bound to suffer from a naming error in perpetuity. A worrying trend.

Birds 147
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Armchair Splits in the Pacific

10,000 Birds

Most of these splits are happening in the islands of South East Asia, but a few are happening in the islands of the Pacific. In spite of the bird extinctions that have plagued the islands of the Pacific, it doesn’t seem to have suffered that much; I saw it in gardens in both Fiji and Tonga.

Tonga 173