In a groundbreaking discovery for scientific research, a new and elusive bird species has been found in Colombia’s Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta by Nemesio Andrés Gulfo, a member of the Fundación ProAves team. The remarkable find occurred near the El Dorado ProAves Reserve eco-lodge, where Gulfo stumbled upon a massive antpitta – a thrush-like bird distinguished by powerful legs and an apparent lack of a tail. The El Dorado Reserve protects over 20 endemic bird species and hundreds of other species of amphibians, reptiles and orchids.
It is very rare to find a new species of bird nowadays. Just three new species were described globally in 2023. Colombia is the world’s most biodiverse country for birds with over 1,979 bird species recorded, yet new species are still being found, such as the Chami Antpitta in 2020.
The identification process of this mysterious huge antpitta with powerful legs involved collaboration between ProAves ornithologists and Gulfo, who initially believed the bird resembled the Undulated Antpitta Grallaria squamigera found in the main Andean cordilleras of Colombia. However, through intensive observations, song tape recordings, and the careful capture, measurement, and release of an adult bird, the ProAves research team confirmed that the discovery represented a distinct and previously unknown species of Antpitta.
This newfound species, tentatively named the “El Dorado Antpitta,” exhibits unique characteristics, including a gray head contrasting with an olivaceous back and wings. Its facial features are particularly striking, with a bright white “beard” and black collar. Surprisingly, the vocalizations closely resemble another species in the reserve, making it apparent that this elusive bird has gone largely unnoticed by birdwatchers and ornithologists visiting the El Dorado ProAves Reserve since 2005.
Approximately 10,000 ornithologists and birdwatchers have visited the El Dorado ProAves Reserve and surrounding area in the past two decades and never seen or heard the species. There was one sighting of a bird for five minutes in 2015 by Sophie Osborn and Chad Olson, but only a distant blurred photograph was taken and which they considered to be of Undulated Antpitta.
While additional evidence is being documented, such as ecological traits, measurements, and vocalizations, the research team, composed of Nemesio Andrés Gulfo, Alex Cortés, Juan Carlos Luna, Paul Salaman, and Thomas Donegan, plans to publish their findings in collaboration with the University of Antioquia. The university is undertaking phylogenetic studies using blood samples from a captured individual, which was released unharmed after the study.
The discovery is even more remarkable considering the new species was found on the former property known as Vista Nieves, once owned by Melbourne Carriker, one of South America’s most renowned bird collectors in the early 20th century. Despite collecting thousands of birds, Carriker never documented this particular species. ProAves ornithologists rushed to the El Dorado reserve and worked with Nemesio to identify the species. At first, it appeared to be similar to the Undulated Antpitta Grallaria squamigera – a species found across the main Andean cordilleras of Colombia.
However, the discovery of the El Dorado Antpitta is accompanied by concern. The bird faces a significant threat due to accelerating deforestation in the cooler subtropical forests around the El Dorado ProAves Reserve and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. The region is experiencing deforestation driven by a property boom along the dry coastal plains and growing city of Santa Marta. The demand for land in the world’s highest coastal mountain range has led to unauthorized clearing of subtropical forests for holiday homes and new farms, putting the newfound species at risk.
The future survival of the El Dorado Antpitta hangs in the balance as its populations appear to be small and endangered. This remarkable discovery, while a moment of triumph for Colombia, underscores the urgent need for conservation efforts to protect the unique biodiversity of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.
