Notes on the ecology and conservation status of key bird species in Nilo and Nguu North Forest Reserves, Tanzania

Summary Ornithological surveys were conducted in Tanzanian submontane forest at Nilo Forest Reserve in the East Usambaras and Nguu North Forest Reserve in the Nguu Mountains in July-September 1995. Information on the ecology of poorly known bird species of conservation interest was collected and combined with previously published information to assess their conservation status. Sixteen species of conservation interest were recorded during fieldwork, including five Vulnerable (Usambara Eagle OwlBubo vosseleri, East Coast AkalatSheppardia gunningi, Amani SunbirdAnthreptes pallidigaster, Banded Green SunbirdAnthreptes rubritorquesand Usambara WeaverPloceus nicolli); three Near-threatened (Southern Banded Snake EagleCircaetus fasciolatus, Fischer's TuracoTauraco fischeriand Moreau's SunbirdNectarinia moreaui); one regionally Endangered (Southern HyliotaHyliota australis); one regionally Vulnerable (Uluguru Violet-backed SunbirdAnthreptes neglectus), two regionally Near-threatened (Lemon DoveAplopelia lavataand Evergreen Forest WarblerBradypterus barratti); and 10 in total as restricted-range species (Fischer's Turaco, Usambara Eagle Owl, Sharpe's AkalatSheppardia sharpei, Red-capped Forest WarblerOrthotomus metopias, Spot-throatModulatrix stictigula, Amani Sunbird, Banded Green Sunbird, Moreau's Sunbird, Kenrick's StarlingPoeoptera kenrickiand Usambara Weaver). New information on the ecology of these species is presented in this paper. It is recommended that the conservation status of East Coast Akalat and Uluguru Violet-backed Sunbird be changed to globally Near-threatened and regionally Near-threatened, respectively. Should further work confirm that the Usambara race of Southern Hyliota deserves specific status it is strongly recommended that it be considered globally Endangered. All other species recorded should retain their current status and continue to be monitored. The Nguus represented a new locality for several species. Sharpe's Akalat, Spot-throat, Red-Capped Forest Warbler, otherwise widely distributed throughout the east Tanzania, were absent from the Nguus.