Songbirds 'on brink of extinction' born at zoo

Three birds whose species "is on the brink of extinction" have been hatched and reared at Blackpool Zoo.

The blue-crowned laughingthrush fledglings are "absolutely vital to the survival of their kind", the zoo said.

It said there are an estimated 50 to 249 of them in the wild and a further 313 in zoos and other collections, with just 48 chicks hatched across the world in the past 12 months.

The zoo is also home to the Bali myna, of which there are just 50 left in the wild.

The blue-crowned laughingthrush birds were hatched at the end of April after a 14-day incubation period, with both parents rearing three fledglings.

The zoo said despite their small stature, the birds have "huge voices and stunning song".

Luke Forster, deputy section head said: "These stunning birds are some of the most endangered on the planet and the three chicks will play a critical role in the survival of their species.

"They are in real danger of becoming extinct due to excessive and strongly culturally rooted consumption of wild songbirds for trade, competitions, pets, export, traditional medicine and food."

He said the zoo is "dedicated to raising awareness of the plight of songbirds in Asia".

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