First photograph published of yellow-crested helmetshrike - an African bird thought to have become extinct

 

This photograph has featured in numerous international publications including, in Britain, an edition of The Daily Telegraph 

IT is unfortunate that no photograph has yet been released of the yellow-crested helmetshrike in the field, but, even so, it is fantastic to see a close-up of the bird hand-held.

The shot - the first ever of the species - is understood to have been taken earlier this month  by Matt Brady, a member of a research team from the University of Texas and the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Centre de Recherche en Sciences Naturelles.

Not having been seen for more than 20 years, it was thought that the striking-looking bird might have become extinct.

But to their delight, the academics clocked a total of 18 individuals at three sites within in the remote Itombwe Massif woodland which is on the slopes of the Albertine Rift of Central Africa.

It has been a no-go area in recent years because of war, but is thought recently to have become safer for those pursuing scientific research.