Population
Estimated population is 2,500 - 9,999 (2010) and decreasing.
Status VU
Habitat destruction and degradation through pole-cutting, firewood-collection, cultivation, illegal pit-saw logging and gold mining, are the main threats.
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.
Voice
A soft, slurred, whistled 'zitt zitt' slurr, last syllable lower-pitched. Alarm note monotonous, quite purring.
Swynnerton's Robin (Swynnertonia swynnertoni) [XC516605]
by Louis A. Hansen from Suni camp, Chita Forest, southern Udzungwa Scarp, Tanzania (call)
Swynnerton's Robin (Swynnertonia swynnertoni) [XC127086]
by Louis A. Hansen from Ndundulu, Udzungwa Mts, Iringa Region, Tanzania (song)
Subspecies
Sometimes placed in genus Pogonocichla, but only superficially similar and has strikingly longer (and thinner) tarsus. Described subspecies umbratica synonymized with nominate.
The following 2 subspecies are recognised:
swynnertoni (Shelley, 1906) - Eastern Zimbabwe and western Mozambique.
rodgersi Jensen & Stuart, 1982 - Mwanihana Forest, Chita, Udzungwa Mts and eastern Usambara foothills, in central Tanzania.
Similar Species
White-starred Robin (Pogonocichla stellata) which is bigger, has yellow breast, darker, longer tail with orange outer tail feathers. However, White-starred Robin (Pogonocichla stellata) is never seen to come to the ground, always being observed one metre above the ground.
References
See References.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet