Article in Nature describes the relevance of ecological
niches to the evolution of new bird species
The Eastern Himalayas are home to more than 360 different
songbird species, most of which are to be found nowhere else on the planet.
This makes the region extending from eastern Nepal to the borderlands of China,
India, and Myanmar unique and one of the most important hot spots for
biological diversity in the western hemisphere. A recent research paper
describes how this impressive bird community came about millions of years ago,
emphasizing both the uniqueness and biological significance of this remote
area.