Population
Estimated population is 10,000 - 19,999 (2010) and decreasing.
Status NT
Habitat destruction and degradation through logging and a consequent increase in settlement and smallholder agriculture, is the main threat.
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.
Voice
Descending in pitch, with a tremulous lisping quality rather similar to that of Common Bristlebill (Bleda syndactylus).
Green-tailed Bristlebill (Bleda eximius) [XC53997]
by Gabriel A. Jamie from Atewa Range, Ghana, Ghana (song)
Green-tailed Bristlebill (Bleda eximius) [XC156700]
by Patrik \u00c5berg from Ankasa Game Reserve, Ghana (song)
Subspecies
No subspecies.
Bleda eximia (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) has been split into Green-tailed Bristlebill (Bleda eximius) and Yellow-lored Bristlebill (Bleda notatus) following Chappuis and Erard (1993). Gender agreement of species names follows David and Gosselin (2002b).
Proposal to form a species pair with Common Bristlebill (Bleda syndactylus) is undermined by recent molecular evidence. Was previously treated as conspecific with Yellow-lored Bristlebill (Bleda notatus), but recent acoustic and morphological studies indicate that the two are separate species. Taxonomic confusion resulted in uncertainty over which of the two was involved in published observations in some of the earlier literature. Species name sometimes given as eximia, but genus is masculine.
Similar Species
Differs from Common Bristlebill (Bleda syndactylus) by the yellow-tipped green, not uniform rusty, tail.
References
See References.