Mozambique forest warbler

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mozambique forest warbler
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Cisticolidae
Genus: Artisornis
Species:
A. sousae
Binomial name
Artisornis sousae
(del Hoyo and Collar, 2016)
Synonyms
  • Artisornis moreaui sousae (Benson, 1945)

The Mozambique forest warbler (Artisornis sousae) is a songbird of the family Cisticolidae, formerly part of the "Old World warbler" assemblage. It is found in the Njesi Highlands of northern Mozambique. Its natural habitat is montane evergreen and riparian forests.

Description[]

Distribution and habitat[]

This species is endemic to the Njesi Highlands in northern Mozambique, where it is found in evergreen Afromontane forest patches and riparian forest. They have been observed between 1,430 and 1,850 meters elevation on the three highest mountains – the Njesi Plateau, Mount Chitagal, and Mount Sanga – in the highlands. The birds were found in the mid-storey and canopy (never the understorey), particularly around forest gaps and tree falls, forest clearings, and dense vine tangles.[2]

Status[]

The total population is conservatively estimated to include 50-249 mature individuals, but may be more numerous, and is considered stable.[1] It is classified as endangered based on its small population and limited range.[3]

The species was first described by ornithologist Constantine Walter Benson in 1945, from bird skins collected in the highlands on Benson's behalf by Jali Makawa. Benson identified it a subspecies of the long-billed forest warbler (Artisornis moreaui), which is found in the East Usambara Mountains of Tanzania, 950 km to the northeast. It was reclassified as a separate species in 2016.[3]

References[]

  1. ^ a b BirdLife International (2016). "Artisornis sousae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T103772009A104192133. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T103772009A104192133.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. ^ Jones S.E.I., Clause J.K., Geeraert L., Jamie G.A., Patel, H., Sumbane E., van Berkel, T. and Jocque M. (2017) The Njesi Plateau expedition: a biological assessment of Mt Chitagal, Mt Sanga and the Njesi Plateau in Niassa Province, Mozambique. BES Report 6.3 (25 October 2017). Biodiversity Inventory for Conservation. Glabbeek, Belgium, 80 pp.
  3. ^ a b Samuel EI Jones, Gabriel A Jamie, Emidio Sumbane & Merlijn Jocque (2020) The avifauna, conservation and biogeography of the Njesi Highlands in northern Mozambique, with a review of the country’s Afromontane birdlife, Ostrich, 91:1, 45-56, DOI: 10.2989/00306525.2019.1675795

External links[]

Retrieved from ""