The Hanuman plover bird, native to India and Sri Lanka, has been reclassified as a species after being considered a subspecies for 86 years.
The small bird was merged with the Kentish plover in the 1930s due to similarities between the two.
However, DNA sequencing has enabled scientists to identify subtle differences and classify them as separate species. The move is expected to draw attention to at-risk habitats and aid conservation efforts.
While the Hanuman plover’s current status is unknown, it lives in an area with one of the highest human population densities in the world.
The researchers believe that environmental changes caused by the Mid-Pleistocene Transition around 1.2 million years ago may have led to the divergence of the two species.
“Having a name attached to these birds means it is easier for policymakers and politicians to notice these plovers and take any steps needed to help them,” said Alex Bond, who co-authored the study and is a principal curator at the Natural History Museum in the UK.