SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – A San Diego State University researcher helped identify a new species of bird living in Peru and Bolivia.
The bird now named “Inti Tanager,” is a type of tanager that was spotted almost 20 years ago by SDSU professor of Biology Kevin Burns in a partnership with a team from Louisiana State University. Burn’s team, which included former students, determined the bird to be both a new genus and species.
The name “Inti” was chosen because it is the Quechua word for the sun, which reflected the yellow color of the bird.
The males’ birds are bright yellow with a black stripe on their heads, leading some birders to nickname it “Kill Bill Tanager” after Uma Thurman’s costume in the Quentin Tarantino film Kill Bill. They also have salmon-pink bills and a bushy crest, while the females are yellow with bright orange or pink on their bills.
