Grey-capped social-weaver

Pseudonigrita arnaudi

Photo by Dick Daniels (Wikipedia)

Common name:
grey-capped social-weaver (en); tecelão-de-barrete-cinzento (pt); républicain d'Arnaud (fr); tejedor social de Arnaud (es); marmorspätzling (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Ploceidae

Range:
This African species is found from southern Sudan and southern Ethiopia, through eastern Uganda, Kenya and southern Somalia, and into Tanzania.

Size:
These birds are 10-12 cm long and weigh 18-20 g.

Habitat:
The grey-capped social-weaver is found in dry savannas and dry tropical scrublands, from sea level up to an altitude of 1.400 m.

Diet:
They feed on grass seeds and insects such as grasshoppers, beetles, termites and caterpillars.

Breeding:These birds can breed all year round, but especially during the local rainy season. They nest in dense colonies, sometimes with over 100 nests in a single tree, each nest consisting of a large spherical structure with two entrances on the bottom, It is made of grass blades and lined with finer grasses. The female lays 2-3 eggs which are incubated by both parents for about 14 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and often also by helpers and fledge about 20 days after hatching.

Conservation:IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and is described as uncommon to locally common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Pink pigeon

Nesoenas mayeri

Photo by Charlie Moores (New Scientist)

Common name:
pink pigeon (en); pombo-rosado (pt); pigeon rose (fr); paloma de Mauricio (es); rosentaube (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Columbiformes
Family Columbidae

Range:
This species is endemic to Mauritius, at present being restricted to the Black River Gorges, in the south-western part of the island, and to Ile aux Aigrettes, just off the eastern coast.

Size:
These birds are 36-40 cm long and weigh 290-350 g.

Habitat:
Pink pigeons are mostly found in native evergreen tropical forests and scrublands, but also use grove of exotic trees such as the Japanese red cedar Cryptomeria japonica. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 800 m.

Diet:
They feed mainly on the flowers, buds, fruits, leaves and seeds of native flora, but also consume exotic plants.

Breeding:
The pink pigeon can breed in all year round, but especially in August-March. They are monogamous and both sexes help build the nest, a flimsy platform placed in the upper canopy of a tree. The female lays 2 white eggs which are incubated by both parents for 14 days. The chicks are fed crop milk and seeds by both parents and fledge about 4 weeks after hatching. They only become fully independent several weeks after fledging. Each pair can raise up to 5 broods per year.

Conservation:
IUCN status - EN (Endangered)
This species has a very small breeding range and a global population estimated at just 240-260 individuals. Through habitat destruction and predation by exotic mammals this species declined to just 10 individuals by 1990, but it has since recovered thanks to conservation efforts and the current trend seems to fluctuate with some sub-populations in decline, while others are stable or increasing. The main threats affecting this species are still habitat loss and predation by introduced crab-eating macaques Macaca fascicularis, mongoose Herpestes auropunctatus, rats and feral cats. other threats include the disease Trichomonosis brought to Mauritius by alien pigeons, and inbreeding depression due to the small population size. Conservation efforts underway include a captive breeding and reintroduction programme, habitat restoration, control of exotic predators, supplementary feeding, nest guarding, rescue of eggs and young from failing nests, control of disease and monitoring of survival and productivity. The population is managed to maximise genetic diversity and counter the effects of inbreeding depression, with birds moved beetween subpopulations, and there are plans to release three additional populations.

Japanese bush-warbler

Cettia diphone

Photo by Mathew Poll (Birds Korea)

Common name:
Japanese bush-warbler (en); rouxinol-bravo-japonês (pt); bouscarle chanteuse (fr); ruiseñor bastardo japonés (es); Japanbuschsänger (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Sylviidae

Range:
This species is found throughout Japan, and also in Korea, north-eastern and eastern China, extreme south-eastern Russia, Taiwan and in the northern Philippines. There is also an introduced population in Hawaii.

Size:
These birds are 14-16,5 cm long and have a wingspan of 20-22 cm. They weigh 15-22 g.

Habitat:
The Japanese bush-warbler is found in bamboo thickets, grasslands and pine forests.

Diet:
They feed mainly on insects, such as flies, beetles, moths and grasshoppers, but also take worms, berries and fruits.

Breeding:
These birds breed in April-September. The female builds the nest, consisting of a cup made of twigs, leaves and moss. She lays 4-5 eggs, which she incubates alone for 13-16 days. The chicks are fed by the female alone and fledge 12-15 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as uncommon to fairly common. The populations in Japan, China and Korea are each estimated at 10.000-100.000 breeding pairs. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Pied starling

Spreo bicolor

Photo by Alan Manson (Mango Verde)

Common name:
pied starling (en); estorninho-de-ventre-branco (pt); spréo bicolore (fr); estornino bicolor (es); zweifarb-glanzstar (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Sturnidae

Range:
This species is endemic to South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland.

Size:
These birds are 25-28 cm long and weigh 90-115 g.

Habitat:
The pied starling is mostly found in open habitats, such as grasslands, pastures and arable land, also using rural gardens and dry scrublands.

Diet:
They feed mainly on arthropods, such as ants, termites, beetles, dragonflies, grasshoppers, caterpillars, centipedes, solifugids, amphipods and ticks. They also eat small lizards, seeds, nectar, fruits, human waste and also road kill.

Breeding:
Pied starlings are monogamous, and can either nest solitarily or in colonies of up to several thousands. The breeding pair is often assisted by up to 7 helpers. They can breed all year round, but with a peak in August-January. They nests in tunnels in river banks, or also in holes in buildings, straw bales or natural tree holes, which are lined with plant materials and items of human waste such as paper and rope. The female lays 2-6 eggs, which she incubates alone for 14-16 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and the helpers and fledge 23-27 days after hatching. After fledging they continue to be fed by the helpers until becoming independent, 1 week later.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and is reported to be common to abundant. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Broad-billed motmot

Electron platyrhynchum

Photo by Joost Brandsma (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
broad-billed motmot (en); udu-de-bico-largo (pt); motmot à bec large (fr); momoto picoancho (es); plattschnabelmotmot (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Coraciiformes
Family Momotidae

Range:
This species is found from the Honduras south to Peru, northern Bolivia and north-western Brazil. It is mostly absent from northern Brazil, Venezuela and the Guyanas.

Size:
These birds are 30-40 cm long and weigh 55-66 g.

Habitat:
The broad-billed motmot is mostly found in moist tropical forests, also using dry tropical forests and degraded patches of former forests. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.100 m.

Diet:
They feed mainly on insects and their larvae, particularly cicadas but also butterflies and dragonflies. They also take spiders, centipedes, small frogs and lizards.

Breeding:
Broad-billed motmots breed in March-July. The nest is a deep burrow excavated into a bank, often over a river or stream. There the female lays 2-3 eggs which are incubated by both parents for about 3 weeks. The chicks are fed insects by both parents and fledge 24-25 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as fairly common but patchily distributed. It is suspected to loose 13-14 % of suitable habitat over the next decade based on a model of Amazonian deforestation, so the population is likely to suffer a small decline n the near future.

Grey-breasted wood-wren

Henicorhina leucophrys

Photo by Hugo Loaiza (Neotropical Birds)

Common name:
grey-breasted wood-wren (en); uirapuru-de-peito-cinzento (pt); troglodyte à poitrine grise (fr); cucarachero pechigrís (es); einsiedlerzaunkönig (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Troglodytidae

Range:
This species is found from north-eastern Mexico south to northern Venezuela and Colombia, and along the Andes down to Bolivia.

Size:
These birds are 11 cm long and weigh 18 g.

Habitat:
The grey-breasted wood-wren is mostly found in moist tropical forests, also using nearby scrublands, bamboo stands and second growths. They are are present at altitudes of 400-4.000 m.

Diet:
The hunt small invertebrates among the vegetation.

Breeding:
Grey-breasted wood-wrens breed in March-July. The nest is a globular structure with an antechamber and a downwards entrance, made of dark rootlets and green moss. It is usually placed in overhanging vegetation in a gorge or by a road-side. The female lays 2 white eggs, which are incubated for 19-20 days. The chicks fledge 14-18 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and a global population estimated at 0,5-5 million individuals. The population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction and fragmentation.

Black francolin

Francolinus francolinus

Photo by Ahmet Karatash (Trek Nature)

Common name:
black francolin (en); francolim-escuro (pt); francolin noir (fr); francolín común (es); halsbandfrankolin (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Galliformes
Family Phasianidae

Range:
This species is found from Turkey and Israel, through Syria, Iraq, Iran and Pakistan, and into northern India, Nepal, south-western China and Bangladesh.

Size:
These birds are 31-36 cm long and weigh 420-550 g.

Habitat:
The black francolin is found in cultivated areas, such as arable land, irrigated fields and plantations, as well as in grasslands and scrublands. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 2.500 m.

Diet:
They feed mainly on the seeds of various grasses, weeds and agricultural crops, but also take
shoots, leaves, tubers, berries, figs, insects and their larvae, spiders, earthworms, and occasionally even amphibians and reptiles.

Breeding:
Black francolins are monogamous and the breeding season varies according to the range, but is associated to the rains. The nest is built by the female, consisting of a shallow scrape on the ground, concealed amongst the vegetation, in tall grasses or cultivated areas. It is lined with grasses, twigs and leaves. The female lays 7-14 eggs pale brown or greenish eggs with white spots, which she incubates alone for 18-21 days. The chicks leave the nest soon after hatching and are raised by both parents. Each pair produces 2 clutches per year.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as rare in some parts of its range, but common to widespread in other areas. The black francolin suffered heavy declines in some areas due to over-hunting, but hunting bans have halted this problem and the population in now suspected to be stable.