Scientists working in Cambodia have reported a new species of bird in a decidedly less remote environment: the outskirts of Phnom Penh.

 

Roughly the same size as a wren, with white cheeks and a cinnamon cap, the bird was named the Cambodian tailorbird by the team that documented the discovery. Tailorbirds get their name from the way they build their nests, by threading spider silk or other fibers through a leaf, creating a sort of cradle.

 

Around the world, perhaps a half dozen new bird species are identified a year. There are 12 other species of tailorbird, but the Orthotomus chaktomuk, the scientific name for the discovery announced Wednesday, is distinct in plumage and genetic makeup.

 

The first recorded netting of the Cambodian tailorbird was serendipity. Researchers studying whether avian influenza could be transmitted through small birds captured, photographed and released a Cambodian tailorbird in 2009 without realizing it was a new species.

 

The Cambodian tailorbird was the second major Cambodia-related discovery announced this month. Last week, Australian archaeologists said they had confirmed the existence of a city, now buried in jungle, that was contemporary with the ruins of Angkor Wat. Scientists used lasers deployed from helicopters to uncover the network of canals and roads.