New to Nature No 30: Pycnonotus hualon

The first new Asian species of bulbul (songbird) in more than 100 years has been described from a limestone karst region of Laos. Bird inventories of the Lao People's Democratic Republic resumed in the 1990s after a hiatus lasting neary 40 years. Pycnonotus hualon is distinctive for its bald face, plumage details and coloration, and the whistled, dry bubbling notes of its song. The species name is from the Lao word hualon, which means bald-headed. The bird was discovered by scientists from the University of Melbourne and the Wildlife Conservation Society. Quentin Wheeler is director of the International Institute for Species Exploration, Arizona State University