White-tailed Warbler
Poliolais lopezi
Males appear overall gray, with a darker back and cap and a paler belly and throat. Females are similar but with reddish tones to the head. All individuals have extremely short tails with bright white outer tail feathers. An easily overlooked, diminutive warbler of montane forests, where it is often found in shaded thickets. Calls include a typewriter-like trill and nasal “nya nya nya” calls. Birds will sometimes duet, with the female giving nasal calls and the male giving clear, often paired whistles. Birds on Bioko also give a whistled “wheet” that rises in pitch.
Identification
The white-tailed warbler (Poliolais lopezi) is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae, the only species of the genus Poliolais. It is native to the Western High Plateau and Bioko. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forest. It is becoming rare due to habitat loss.
Taxonomy
Genus: Poliolais; Family: Cisticolidae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Poliolais lopezi
- Authority
- (Alexander, 1903)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Cisticolidae
- Genus
- Poliolais
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Masked Lark
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Swainson's Sparrow
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A drab sparrow of northeastern Africa. The head and underparts are gray, the wing and back are brown, and the rump is rufous. Generally common within its range in all habitats except closed-canopy forest. Fond of human habitation. Very similar to Northern Gray-headed Sparrow, but there is little overlap in range, and Swainson’s has darker underparts. Also very similar to Parrot-billed Sparrow, but slightly smaller and slimmer-billed, with paler underparts. The call is a ringing “churp.”
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