Algerian Nuthatch
Kabylenkleiber ( Sitta ledanti ), male ( Schematic diagram )
The only in 1975 recognized as a separate species Kabylenkleiber ( Sitta ledanti ) is a in the mountain forests in the north- eastern Algeria endemic occurring Songbird. The no more than 1000 individuals live in oak forests in 350-1200 m altitude or in mixed forests up to 2000 m altitude. The distribution area is limited in this region due to the small size of the forests.
Features
With 11.5 to 12.5 cm of Kabylenkleiber is slightly smaller than the nuthatch. The plumage is blue-gray on the upper side and lower side pink beige, the throat is a little brighter. Males have a black front crown and a blue-gray background peak. The black eye-streak is defined by a narrow white eye-streak over from the apex. Females have a gray crown and also a gray eye stripe.
Behavior
The Kabylenkleiber feeds on insects and seeds, which he also hoards. It breeds in self-built tree cavities or old woodpecker holes.
Discovery history
The specific epithet ledanti commemorates the discovery of this bird. The Kabylenkleiber was observed on 5 October 1975 by the Belgian environmentalist Jean -Paul Ledant, who was employed as forest assistant at the Institut National Agronomique. The 24 -year-old took part in an expedition to investigate the peak area of the Djebel Babor, a mountain of the Lesser Kabylia in northern Algeria. The mountain forest in this region was a relic site, which had, among other stocks of Numidian firs, Atlas cedars and in deeper layers of the Portuguese oak. During the investigations near the summit Ledant watched a nuthatch. When his companions found Ledant with his observation initially no faith, because according to their knowledge in Algeria Kleiber no were to be found. A renewed attempt to rediscover the nuthatch in December 1975 was in vain, because of bad weather. Success was Ledant together with his colleague Paul Jacobs in a third expedition in April 1976. Doing so they achieved them so unique observations that a few months later in a special issue of the French ornithological journal Alauda a report appeared, the official described the type and this after its discoverer Ledant named. Even before in July 1976 published a first report of the discovery in the French newspaper Le Monde, the nuthatch was also detected by the Swiss ornithologist Eric Burnier near the summit in June 1976.
As a core area of Kabylenkleibers first a forest area has been identified with a diameter of 2.5 kilometers; the stock was estimated at only 80 individuals. Only in June 1989, an additional population of the species with a larger area of distribution was found in another forest area of the Little Kabylia. 1987 two additional populations were discovered in two other forest areas that were five and 30 kilometers away. The stock has now been estimated at just under a thousand individuals. A part of the population lived also in the field of Taza National Park.