Wakatobi sunbird

A group of researchers in the tropical Wakatobi Islands in central Indonesia found several new species of sunbirds.

The tiny archipelago is also part of the Wallacea region that many scientists consider “a living laboratory” for the study of evolution, with endemic species being newly identified to science in recent years.

The researchers said their findings reinforce recommendations to protect the Wakatobi Islands as an endemic bird area, especially as so much remains unknown to the scientific community.