Whistling Warbler
Whistling Warbler ( Catharopeza bishopi ) Illustration by Joseph Smit
The Whistling Warbler ( Catharopeza bishopi ) is a small songbird and the only member of the genus Catharopeza from the family of warblers ( Parulidae ). It is closely related to species of the genus Dendroica, especially with the Angela Warbler ( Dendroica Angelae ). Some authors consider the whistling warbler as different species of the genus Dendroica. The distribution area is located on the island of St. Vincent of the island nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the Lesser Antilles. He was discovered in 1877 on the volcano Soufriere. The IUCN lists the species since 2000 as " critically endangered " ( endangered ).
Features
Whistling Warbler reach a body length of 14.5 centimeters and a weight of 16-19 grams. The wing length is about 7 inches in the male, the female about 6.68 centimeters. Adult males have a black head and throat feathers, a grayish - blackish top plumage and a distinctive, wide, white eye ring. The underside plumage is dirty - white, the flanks and the chest band blackish - gray. The coverts are gray with white feather tips. The beak is black, the legs pink - flesh colored.
Juvenile specimens in the first year have a dark olivbraunes head and top feathers and a zimtbraunes to yellow-brown underside plumage with a dark olive - yellowish-brown breast band. The white eye ring is narrower than in adults.
Habitat, nutrition and reproduction
Whistling warblers are found in primary rainforests, moist secondary forests, forest edges and in dense palm undergrowth. They feed mainly on insects. They bounce slowly from branch to branch, pick their prey hanging upside down from the undersides of the leaves from or lurking as the flycatchers at passing flying insects.
Your cup-shaped nest is built in low vegetation. The breeding season takes place between April and July. A clutch usually consists of two eggs. About the Bebrütungs and nestling period there are no accurate studies. Begging young birds have been sighted in June, July and early August.
Conservation status and population numbers
From the IUCN the whistling warbler is out because habitat destruction as " critically endangered " ( endangered ). By 1986 the suitable habitat formerly of 140 km ² decreased to about 80 km ². Twice large parts of the habitat were destroyed by eruptions of Soufriere volcano. The birds returned, however, after the vegetative regeneration back. 1973, 1500 and 1986 breeding individual animals counted from 1500 to 2500 singing males. BirdLife International estimates the population size at 3,000 to 5,000 individuals.