WASHINGTON (Xinhua) -- Scientists at the U.S. Smithsonian Institution have discovered a new species of bird in African country Gabon, that was, until now, unknown to the scientific community, according to the international science journal Zootaxa published Friday.     

The newly found olive-backed forest robin (Stiphrornis pyrrholaemus) was named by the scientists for its distinctive olive back and rump.     
To ensure that the specimens were a new species, geneticists at the Smithsonian's National Zoo compared the DNA of the new specimens to that of the four known forest robin species. The results clearly showed that these birds were in fact a separate and distinct species.     
Discovering an unknown mammal or bird species is far from a common event. Before the 20th century, the rate of discoveries was great -- several hundred new species were being described each decade. Since then, however, the pace has slowed and new species of vertebrates are generally only found in isolated areas.     
Now officially recognized, the olive-backed forest robin brings Gabon's number of known bird species to 753. Other than its existence, however, little is known to science about this newcomer.     
There is some knowledge about the species' habitat choice since all of the birds seen and heard in the wild were found in dense forest undergrowth.