Oriole warbler

Oriole warbler
Conservation status

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Cisticolidae
Genus: Hypergerus
L. Reichenbach, 1850
Species: H. atriceps
Binomial name
Hypergerus atriceps
(Lesson, 1831)

The oriole warbler (Hypergerus atriceps) is a small warbler in the family Cisticolidae, and the only member of the genus Hypergerus. This bird is a resident breeder in west Africa from southern Senegal to Cameroon and north Zaire.

This skulking passerine is typically found in dense thickets usually near water. The oriole warbler builds a large untidy nest suspended from palm leaves.

These 20-cm long warblers have a long tail, strong legs and a long black bill. Adults are light olive above, yellow below and have a black hood. The species' name refers to their resemblance to the unrelated but similarly black and yellow orioles. The sexes are similar, but juveniles are duller.

Like most warblers, the oriole warbler is insectivorous. The song is a loud whistled duetted toooo-ooo-eee-oooo, oooo-ooo-eee-oooo. The male always leads the duet[2] and the female answers, though this is done in a manner that is temporarily rather loose.[3]

References

  1. BirdLife International (2012). "Hypergerus atriceps". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
  2. Slater, P.J.B.; Gil, Diego; Barlow, Clive R. and Graves, J.A.; ”Male-led duets in the Moho, Hypergerus atriceps, and Yellow-crowned Gonolek, Laniarius barbarus”; in Ostrich: Journal of African Ornithology Volume 73, Issue 1-2, 2002 pp. 49-51
  3. Brumm, Henrik and Slater, Peter; “Animal Communication: Timing Counts” in Current Biology Volume 17, Issue 13, 3 July 2007, pp. R521–R523