A red-breasted bird discovered by accident in the forests of Gabon is a new species, U.S. scientists said on Friday.

They have named the little bird the olive-backed forest robin, or Stiphrornis pyrrholaemus, but say they know little about it yet.

The Smithsonian Institution team found the bird while visiting the forest on a biodiversity project, said Brian Schmidt, a research ornithologist at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.

“I suspected something when I found the first bird in Gabon since it didn’t exactly match any of the species descriptions in the field guides,” Schmidt said in a statement.

“Once I was able to compare them side by side to other specimens in our collections, it was clear that these birds were special.”

Genetic tests confirmed the bird, which measures 4.5 inches

in length and averages half an ounce (14 grams) in weight, was a unique species.

Writing in the journal Zootaxa, the Smithsonian team said the males have a fiery orange throat and breast, yellow belly, olive back and black feathers on the head. Females are similar, but less vibrant. A distinctive white dot in front of each eye helps distinguish the species.

“Although finding an unknown species like the olive-backed forest robin was not the goal of the … project, it is definitely a reminder that the world still holds surprises for us,” Schmidt said.

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There is this large dog, very friendly, that has been roaming the neighborhood. Sometimes, i see it in a neighbors backyard, sometimes in another neighbors house. I can’t figure out who owns him! I’m scared he’s gonna get hit by a car, and frankly, i ‘m scare for my toddlers safety - the dog approaches evryone, and friendly as he may be, he’s still a big dog. Should I call animal control? I don’t want him to be put down, or go somehwere bad, but people who aren’t resposible don’t deserve pets.

Yes, call animal control - that is what you are paying them for.

As you say, he could get hit by a car - being driven by a human who could also die in the accident. They will try and locate the owner, who may be on the city roster as owning such a dog, and who would then get a citation.

If they have to rehome the dog they will, or it may be turned over to the humane society.

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If the dog really is that friendly, and no body claims him.
I am sure that it wouldn’t take too long for him to get adopted out.
You can ask the shelter to give you updates on the dog.
Then, they will tell you how he is doing, if he gets adopted,etc…

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HELP i just got a dog from my sister she obivisoly let her go potty in the house how can i start training her to go outside!!! Or on a weewee pad????

sounds to me like this dog will have to be crate trained. crate her for short amounts of time to start out with. put her toys in there so she feels comfy. as soon as you return home, take her outside to pee. and stay out there for awhile. keep this up until she learns. be patient. praise praise praise

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everytime the dog is going inside, get it outside as fast as you can. yell ‘no’ to it as it’s going in the house. leave it outside for a few minutes. Once it gets back inside give him/her a treat. break a small milk bone in half or whatever you want. after awhile the dog may just start sitting in front of the door and crying when it wants to go out. Don’t resist and let it out.

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I was thinking when we moved into a new house if I can get a saltwater tank but I don’t know what size and I’m not sure what fish but I was also wondering if I can get a dwarf seahorse and a clown fish but what fish will get along with them

as long as you do your research you can have your saltwater tank.
go to fishlore .com and on your left you’ll see “beginner’s guide” click on it and then click on the saltwater option and read read read.

clown fish need a 30gal tank and i’m not so sure about seahorses. make sure you cycle your tank and enjoy!

oh and try not to get MTS!!! i got it and pretty bad! other people around here have it too!

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You wouldn’t be able to keep the seahorse and the clownfish in the same tank. Seahorses are very slow swimmers, and other fish beat them to the food, so they slowly starve to death. And dwarf seahorses are one of the types which needs a regular supply of live baby brine shrimp, so you’d have to be prepared to breed these yourself so they have something to eat.

A clown (or a pair of the same type of colown) would be a better choice if you’re just learning about saltwater tanks. They’re a lot hardier than most seahorses for a beginner. A 29 gallon or larger is a good size for two, and you’ve be able to get some marine hermit crabs, snails, or shrimp to keep with them.

The book mentioned by eyesinthedrk is a good one, but the author’s name is Michael Paletta (will make it easier to find). Another good book is “The Conscientious Marine Aquarist” by Robert Fenner. Take the time to read one of these before you buy the tank and equipment, they’ll give you a good idea on how to set up a saltwater tank and what fish you can keep.

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I have an awesome Tenessee walking horse named Pep. I was wondering what types of horses everyone likes, tell me what breed you like and why, is it because your horse is that breed, your lesson horse is that breed, you think their pretty? I am bored and was wondering.

Hey there Gaited Cowgirl! I ride gaited horses. My husband and I have 2 registered TWH (Zip and Little Joe), 2 spotted saddle horses (Spur and Snow Rabbit), 1 American gaited pony (Moon Man), a KY Mountain Saddle horse (Boomerang) and 1 gaited mule that we have just started.

We trail ride and like to cover a lot of ground in a day’s time, so we use the gaited horses. They seem to be perfectly made for that kind of riding! We have ridden 8 hours a day for 10 days straight. We didn’t get sore and our horses didn’t get tired. (We took breaks for lunch and chatting and such along the way.)

We even show them in the area county fair shows, which is something different for us and for our horses.

It’s not that we don’t like other horses, we just prefer the gaited horses for the kind of riding we do.

I used to work with Belgians, Percherons, Suffolk Punches, Halflingers, Clydesdales, Shires and Mammoth Mules and then also Gelderlanders, Norwegian Fjords, Morgans and Quarter horses. They are all wonderful in their own unique way.

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quarter horse. THe first i ever rode she tok very good care of me and was very kind and patient! I remember her putting up a fight to her cushings desiese now shes in a better place (:

Fences are structures that are made to prevent entry or exit through a certain boundary. This is the most basic function of a fence; and here are the specific purposes for such barriers:

* Prevention of theft
* Keeping children or pets from getting out of the area
* To avoid trespassing
* To improve the appearance of gardens, houses and landscaping
* For real property demarcation
* To keep livestock in the farm and keep the animals that are preying at them at bay

When it comes to horses, the usual wooden picket fences that residences normally setup would not do any good. Horses are meant to be free by nature and when people try to keep them, it is but normal that these animals would still seek freedom. Hence, an essential part of taming and eventually keeping a horse is to put up a fence that is long-lasting.

A horse fence has two main purposes: to keep horses in a secure place and to do just that safely. A horse-owner could choose to have rustic, high-tech, electric, utilitarian, stable or transitory fencing yet all these are meant to do the two basic duties. Along with a good fencing plan, an owner should also have a spacious farm (or any other roomy area), enough food, and many other horse paraphernalia.

An aluminum fence is probably one of the best types of fence that a horse-owner should consider. It is a preferred choice when it comes to fencing due to many advantages. Here are some of the characteristics of aluminum that makes it a perfect horse fence:

* Aluminum is as strong as iron yet it does not rust and they often come with powder-coat finishes which makes up for well-protected surfaces.
* Since aluminum is powder-coated, it has an enhanced look and when the owner decides to have it painted, he can easily do so because of the fence’s smooth surface.
* Although highly durable, it is also lightweight and malleable. It can easily be shaped into any style that the owner wants.
* It could also be maintenance-free.
* They often come with lifetime warranty so the horse-owners are given peace of mind.
* They are highly cost effective.

Also one of the fence types that have an ever-increasing number of buyers is the vinyl fencing. Just like aluminum, it is durable and totally inexpensive. For people who do not want to paint their horse fences, this is probably the most popular choice as the color is consistent throughout the entire product. Compared to wood, it has five times the tensile strength of the ordinary wooden fence! Also, it has a low-maintenance feature; highly expandable; and is made out of recycled materials.

Gone are those days for electric fences for horses! With vinyl and aluminum around, there are now better and safer options to consider.

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I don’t know if I want to get this. I know I’m getting a 1 gallon tank. I want to get a REALLY small one for a small betta fish.
I’m getting a fish for a first time, and please don’t say to get a bigger tank, I’m not going to. It’s just that I want to start out really small.

Will my betta fish survive?? Many people have told me to get a Betta fish, but I still don’t know. If it won’t survive for more than a few months, I’ll figure out something else.

A lot of myths are out there about betta care, including the myth that they prefer smaller spaces. This is 100% false - if you get a very small tank, your betta will die very quickly. A 2.5 gallon tank would be better, but if you really want a smaller tank, please don’t go under a gallon in size. Small tanks like that are essentially impossible to cycle, and with a betta there’s no reason why you need aeration, so I’d say skip the kit and just get a plain bowl or tank. It’ll be much cheaper, even if you went up in tank size. In a gallon-sized tank, a betta will need its water cleaned every 3-4 days to stay healthy and happy (another good reason to upgrade in size; a 2.5 gallon tank only needs its water changed once a week.) Bettas are tropical fish, and need warmer waters; it’s very hard to safely heat a small tank, so I’d say if you’re staying under a gallon, don’t try. Your betta’s health may suffer, and he won’t be nearly as active or vibrant, but that’s better than cooked fish. A betta’s ideal temperature is 78-80 degrees, by the way.
If you’re willing to put in the time and give it the proper care it needs, bettas make WONDERFUL pets. They’re curious and friendly, and have unique personalities I have several males myself and a sorority with several females, and I love them to death.
http://www.ultimatebettas.com

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i will tell you to get a bigger tank, because it’s the right thing to do
here is an article for you to read up on proper care and habitat of a betta fish
http://www.fishlesscycling.com/articles/…