Yellow-crested Helmetshrike
Prionops alberti
A distinctive black helmetshrike with a bright yellow crown and crest, orange eye-rings, and pink legs and feet. A rare and threatened species restricted to four locations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, found in pairs and small groups at middle levels and in the canopy of Albertine Rift montane forest. Somewhat similar dark starlings and drongos lack yellow on the head. Poorly known vocalizations are described as a varied bubbling, chattering, and piping and a repeated loud melodious “tlu-uk.”
识别特征
Adults are generally all black with a bright yellow or gold crest (sometimes described as a "helmet"), with the yellow extending across the entire top half of the head above the eyeline and extending backwards behind the eye. The greenish-yellow irides are surrounded by an orange eye-wattle; the bill, like the plumage, is black, though the legs and feet are reported to be light red. Individuals can be quite variable in terms of crest color, ranging from grayish-white to pale yellowish to bright gold, with variation possibly attributable either to individual variation or to wear. "Berlioz" (likely Jacques Berlioz) communicated that the yellow pigments in the crest feathers are "soluble in benzine, alcohol, and to some extent even in water". Some birds also have varying amount of gray or white in the webbing of the primaries, but some birds are wholly black.<p>Young birds have whitish crowns that appear dirty or faintly yellow. The bills of juvenals are likely light red, not black.<p>Sexually monomorphic.<p>The call has been described as a two-parted "tlu-uk" or "clu-uk" in the field, repeated as many as six times. Responds strongly to alarm calls from other individuals.
分类信息
The yellow-crested helmetshrike is a member of the family Vangidae. This species, along with other members of the genus Prionops, was formerly considered a member of the family Malaconotidae. Little is known about this species, and its taxonomic placement within the genus Prionops is uncertain. It is a monotypic species. Its specific epithet comes from King Albert I of Belgium, as the species' type locality was located what was then the Belgian Congo.
- 学名
- Prionops alberti
- 命名信息
- Schouteden, 1933
- 目
- Passeriformes
- 科
- Vangidae
- 属
- Prionops
分布与栖息地
It is endemic to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with all confirmed records found from the Lendu Plateau west of Lake Mwitanzige (also known as Lake Albert) in the north to Mount Kabobo in the south. It has been suspected to occur outside of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as the type specimen is from Mount Mikeno near the border between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, and a sight record of a flock exists from nearby Mount Nyiragongo. Furthermore, a hypothetical sight record exists for Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda.<p>Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forest in the Albertine Rift, largely between the elevations of 1120–2500 m in elevation. Birds have been reported foraging in Hagenia trees on Mount Kahuzi. However, the type specimen was found dead ("mummified") on the summit of Mount Mikeno at 4,400 m in elevation; this record is both above the montane forest zone usually inhabited by this species and it is one of the most remote records of the species, leading to speculation that this is an extralimital individual. It has been suspected that this species may undertake seasonal altitudinal migration.
- 迁徙
- Resident species
行为
Migration pattern: Resident species.
保护状况
Population trend: declining.
- 种群趋势
- declining
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其他鸟类
Indochinese Cuckooshrike
Lalage polioptera
Plain gray cuckooshrike with relatively little contrast overall. Male is gray with darker wingtips and a white vent. Female is paler gray with thinly barred underparts. Can be mistaken for Black-winged Cuckooshrike, of which both resident and migratory subspecies are within the range of Indochinese. Note Black-winged’s darker overall plumage, much fainter barring on the female’s underside, and more evenly spaced white spots on the black undertail (Indochinese’s white spots are all clustered together into a cohesive white blob). Inhabits open forests, particularly dry deciduous forests, as well as forest edges and gardens. Gives squeaky yelps, often heard when flying over in small flocks. Gives a descending series of high-pitched whistles.
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Striking white ibis with a naked black head and neck and black legs and feet. White wings framed by black wingtips and trailing edges. Can be encountered in almost any open habitat from wild wetlands to farmland and rubbish dumps. Originally restricted to sub-Saharan Africa, but now established in Taiwan and Europe, with feral colonies in France, Italy, and Spain.
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