Bangwa forest warbler explained

The Bangwa forest warbler or Bangwa scrub warbler (Bradypterus bangwaensis) is a species of Old World warbler in the family Locustellidae.It is found in Cameroon and Nigeria.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland.It is threatened by habitat loss.

It does not migrate.[1] It is territorial.

Description

It does not exhibit physical sexual dimorphism.

Breeding

It breeds in October and November.

Vocalization

The males' characteristic song consists of repeating the same pitch at increasing volume. Females sometimes duet with them by singing at decreasing pitches. Females are not known to sing solo.

Bangwa forest warblers sing more frequently in wet than dry season; this difference is especially pronounced in males. The actual amount of precipitation has no effect on amount of singing.

Their peak of vocal activity is during the first hour after sunrise. Males have a second peak of vocal activity 11 hours after sunrise, but females do not.

The function of their vocalizations is unknown.

Notes and References

  1. Budka . Michał . Uyeme . John Emenike . Osiejuk . Tomasz Stanisław . 2023-07-14 . Females occasionally create duets with males but they never sing solo-year-round singing behaviour in an Afrotropical songbird . Scientific Reports . 13 . 1 . 10.1038/s41598-023-38552-5 . 2045-2322. 10349113 .