HKBWS WY

Three previously unknown breeding sites of Asia’s rarest bunting have been discovered by a team from the Beijing Bird Watching Society working with BirdLife’s China Programme.

The Rufous-backed bunting (Emberiza jankowskii), also known as Jankowski’s bunting, has declined drastically because of conversion of its habitat to farmland, and it is now known only from a restricted area in north-east China.

“These discoveries are very encouraging. When new sites are found we must work with the local government and landowners to protect them,” said Vivian Fu, Assistant Manager (China Programme) of the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society.

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/Asia-rarest-bunting.html#cr

sdavid

Very interesting to read HKBWS's input into surveys in eastern Mongolia searching for this species in BirdASIA24 recently (CONSERVATION REPORT Ornithological survey in Dornod province, eastern Mongolia YANN MUZIKA, VIVIAN FU, TERRY TOWNSHEND & YAT-TUNG YU)and on the Talking Naturally podcast (http://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v ... aspx?s_id=299884938) where there was an interview with Terry Townsend of Birding Beijing.

It would be good if more information regarding HKBWS's research and conservation work was made available to members.

Keep up the good work.