Olive-flanked Ground Robin (Cossypha anomala) [XC26892]
by The late Jens O. Svendsen and Louis A. Hansen from Ndundulu, Udzungwa Mts, Iringa Region, Tanzania (call)
Olive-flanked Ground Robin (Cossypha anomala) [XC515769]
by Louis A. Hansen from Dibililo camp, Mafwemiro forest, Mpwapwa, Dodoma Region, Tanzania (song)
Subspecies
Recently placed by several authorities in genus Dryocichloides. Also sometimes placed in Alethe. Geographical variation well marked, and review of species limits warranted. Nominate subspecies distinctive and possibly better treated as separate species, but approached in certain features by macclounii. Vocally, mbuluensis may be most distinctive, and it does not respond to tape playback of voice of southern Tanzanian grotei, which is also rather distinctive morphologically.
Proposed subspecies gurue (Mt Namuli, in northern Mozambique) synonymized with nominate.
The following 5 subspecies are recognised:
mbuluensis (Grant, CHB & Mackworth-Praed, 1937) - Mbulu Highlands, in north-central Tanzania. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Mbulu Robin-Chat (Dessonornis mbuluensis).
grotei (Reichenow, 1932) - Eastern and southern Tanzania.
macclounii (Shelley, 1903) - South-western Tanzania, northern Malawi and adjacent north-eastern Zambia. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Rusty-flanked Robin-Chat (Dessonornis macclounii).
BirdLife International Species Factsheet