Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
In a remarkable scientific discovery, a team of researchers, led by University of Otago zoologist Professor Hamish Spencer, have found a rare bird species exhibiting an unusual combination of both male and female characteristics.
The researchers stumbled upon this extraordinary finding during a leisure trip to Colombia. John Murillo, an amateur ornithologist and part of the research team was the first to locate the unique bird, identified as a Green Honeycreeper.
The bird's plumage distinctly displays male features on one side, with blue colouring and corresponding reproductive organs, while the other side exhibits female characteristics with green plumage and reproductive organs.
The distinctive traits of this bird are attributed to a genetic anomaly occurring during its early developmental stages. This anomaly leads to the manifestation of both male and female characteristics, a rare occurrence in the avian world.
Hamish Spencer has highlighted the exceptional rarity of such findings, noting that witnessing bilateral gynandromorphism is an infrequent occurrence, with no known examples in New Zealand.
The detailed findings of this unique bird have been documented in the Journal of Field Ornithology, marking only the second recorded instance of gynandromorphism in this species in over a century.
The captured images not only serve as a visual record but also provide valuable material for scientific observation and analysis. The photographic evidence contributes to a deeper understanding of this rare avian phenomenon.
Hamish Spencer elaborated that gynandromorphs, possessing both male and female traits, offer valuable insights into the intricate processes of sex determination and sexual behaviour in birds. The anomaly originates from an error during female cell division, followed by double fertilization by two sperm.
It is crucial to differentiate gynandromorphism from hermaphroditism. While gynandromorphism involves individuals displaying both male and female characteristics in species with separate sexes, hermaphroditism refers to simultaneous possession of both male and female reproductive organs.
Beyond its rarity, this discovery holds broader scientific significance, contributing to our understanding of avian biology and offering a unique glimpse into the complex developmental processes in the natural world.