East Coast Akalat (Sheppardia gunningi)

Other Names (World)
East Coast Akalat, Gunning's Robin, Eastern Akalat, Gunning's Akalat

Family
Muscicapidae (Old World Flycatchers And Chats)

Size
11 - 12 cm

First Described (Guide)
Haagner, 1909

Habitat
Closed, moist forest, tracts of mixed woodland and open, dry forest in coastal, lowland areas. From sea-level - 1,750 m.

Range (Guide)

Kenya (B) (NB), Malawi (B) (NB), Mozambique (B) (NB), Tanzania [United Republic of] (B) (NB).

Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.

Population
Estimated population is 10,000 - 19,999 (2010).

Status NT
Extraction of timber and dead wood and clearance for agriculture, trampling of habitat by elephants, human disturbance are the main threats.

For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Voice
A series of piping 'seep' notes uttered in alarm. Song is fast, high-pitched, but not loud, composed of several short phrases, frequently repeated.

Xeno-Canto Sound Files (more (24)...)

East Coast Akalat (Sheppardia gunningi) [XC365000]
by Frank Lambert from Mokwazi Forest, nr Chibaka, Nkhata Bay, Northern Region, Malawi (song)

East Coast Akalat (Sheppardia gunningi) [XC184019]
by Frank Lambert from Muanza, Sofala, Mozambique (song)

Subspecies
Subspecies bensoni strikingly distinctive, possibly better treated as a separate species.

The following 4 subspecies are recognised:

sokokensis (van Someren, 1921) - Coastal south-eastern Kenya, north-eastern Tanzania, and Zanzibar I.
alticola Fjelds�, Roy & Kiure, 2000 - Nguu Mts, in eastern Tanzania.
bensoni Kinnear, 1938 - North-central Malawi.
gunningi Haagner, 1909 - Central Mozambique.

Similar Species
White-starred Robin (Pogonocichla stellata) which is yellow below, with dark blue head.

References
See References.

Files:

JPG files for East Coast Akalat (Sheppardia gunningi) - 10 files

More Information

BirdLife International

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BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

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