A guide to the five rare species of birds recently added to Jurong Bird Park

SINGAPORE - Five species of birds, including one that is critically endangered, moved into their new home at Jurong Bird Park in March, after having been quarantined for about a month. The birds, imported from a bird park in Portugal, were placed in the upgraded Wings of Asia aviary, which was reopened in January.

1. Cabot's tragopan pheasant

Fewer than 9,000 of this vulnerable species are left in the wild, threatened by habitat destruction. The brightly-coloured birds are also hunted for food, for their bright plumage and for the pet trade.They are found mainly in the hilly areas of southeast China. The males are more richly coloured than the females, with a blue and red lappet and two fleshy blue 'horns' above the eyes that they erect and vibrate during elaborate courtship displays.

2. Edwards' pheasant

This critically-endangered species, found naturally only in Vietnam's rainforests, was thought to be extinct in the wild until it was rediscovered in 1996. The destruction of the bird's forest habitat - caused by logging, agricultural activities and defoliating chemicals used during the Vietnam War - caused its numbers to plunge. It is estimated that there are fewer than 1,000 left in the wild.

3. Vietnamese pheasant

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Little is known about this endangered species, which can be found in the Vietnam's lowland forest. The bird was only discovered in 1964 and officially named in 1975, and is thought to be the rarest pheasant in captivity. Poaching for bush meat and illegal pet trade have caused their numbers to decline in the wild.

4. Pink-headed imperial pigeon

These large-sized pigeons are found only in Indonesia and Timor Leste and eat mainly fruits and buds. Hunting and habitat destruction have caused them to be classified as a near-threatened species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

5. Island imperial pigeon

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This large, mostly grey, forest pigeon is commonly found in the forests of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands. They are being displayed at Jurong Bird Park for the first time.

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