Oriole Warbler

Oriole Warbler
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
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, 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. 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.

References

• BirdLife International (2004). Hypergerus atriceps. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 12 May 2006.

• Birds of The Gambia by Barlow, Wacher and Disley, ISBN 1-873403-32-1

• Ryan, Peter (2006). Family Cisticolidae (Cisticolas and allies). pp. 378–492 in del Hoyo J., Elliott A. & Christie D.A. (2006) Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 11. Old World Flycatchers to Old World Warblers Lynx Edicions, Barcelona ISBN 978-84-96553-06-4

• Nguembock B.; Fjeldsa J.; Tillier A.; Pasquet E. (2007): A phylogeny for the Cisticolidae (Aves: Passeriformes) based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequence data, and a re-interpretation of a unique nest-building specialization. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 42: 272-286.