Littoral Rock-Thrush
Monticola imerina
Chunky, mid-sized robin-like bird. Males are pale gray and orange, while females are gray-brown. Madagascar endemic that is found in coastal spiny forest and scrub in the southwest. Perches up conspicuously. Song is a variable mix of thin whistles and raspy notes. Paler than Forest Rock-Thrush, with little or no overlap in range. Female similar to female Madagascar Magpie-Robin, but smaller and grayer, without white patch in the wing.
Identification
As with the other rock thrushes, the littoral rock thrush is sexually dimorphic; the male has much more colorful plumage than the female does. He is pale gray on the head, breast, mantle and wing coverts, with dull orange underparts, gray-brown wings and a dark brown tail.
Taxonomy
When Gustav Hartlaub first described the littoral rock thrush in 1860, he assigned it to the genus Cossypha, believing it to be a robin-chat. It is monotypic, with no distinctive subspecies in its small range.
- Scientific name
- Monticola imerina
- Authority
- (Hartlaub, 1860)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Genus
- Monticola
Range and habitat
Endemic to Madagascar, the littoral rock thrush is found only in the country's southern coastal region, from the Onilahy River to Lake Anony, just to the west of Tôlanaro (formerly Fort Dauphin). It prefers euphorbia bushes and low shrubs on sandy substrate or coral rag, and is found at elevations ranging from sea level to 200 m (660 ft).
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
Although the littoral rock thrush has a restricted range, its population appears to be stable, and the IUCN lists it as a species of Least Concern. However, the scrub habitat which it prefers is among the most degraded in Madagascar, and its population centers are largely outside of protected areas. Threats included clearing of scrub for agriculture, logging for firewood, and the presence of roaming livestock.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Curve-billed Thrasher
Toxostoma curvirostre
Plain grayish-brown thrasher of the southwest U.S. and Mexico. Look for decurved bill and fairly faint round spots on breast and belly. Undertail coverts are slightly warmer buffy. Eye color varies from yellow to orange. Occurs in deserts and open, shrubby areas. Can be shy and skulking, but often perches atop a bush or cactus to sing. More common in suburban areas and parks than other thrashers in range. Most similar to Bendire’s Thrasher. Note Curve-billed has a slightly longer and more curved bill, and breast spots are slightly larger and rounder.
Shelley's Francolin
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Rufous-vented Grass Babbler
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Specialized, slender prinia-like babbler. Restricted to lowland grassy riverine plains, where it typically stays low in the vegetation in small flocks, flushing only reluctantly. If seen, note very long tail, white throat, and streaking all over the body. Shy and difficult to see; more readily detected by its bubby, warbling song.
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