Shelley's Crimson-wing

Shelley's Crimson-wing
Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Estrildidae
Genus:	Cryptospiza
Species:	C. shelleyi
Binomial name
Cryptospiza shelleyi Sharpe, 1902

Shelley's Crimson-wing Cryptospiza shelleyi is a vulnerable species of estrildid finch found in Burundi, eastern The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and western Uganda in Africa. It has shown population decline over the past few decades, with a current population estimate of 2 500 - 9 999.^[1] This is possibly related to uncontrolled deforestation.

Identification

It is a brightly-coloured finch found at low levels. It is approximately 13 centimetres (5.1 in) long. The male Shelley's Crimson-wing has bright red crown, face and back, with contrasting black wings and tail, as well as olive-yellow underparts with warmer tones on flanks and belly. The female drabber has an olive head and some red on mantle and rump. Both sexes have bright red bills.

Its voice is sharp and high-pitched with "tit tit tit" call. Rising and falling series of high-pitched "tu tutu ti ti ti".

Habitat

Shelley's Crimson-wing inhabits the closed-canopy moist forest, often in lush valley bottoms near water, as well as low secondary growth at forest edges, forest clearings and glades dominated by large herbs, bamboo thickets and the upper forest/moorland ecotone.

It can be found at some parts of the mountains of the Albertine Rift, including the Itombwe Mountain, Kahuzi-Biéga National Park and mountains at the west of Lake Kivu in Democratic Republic of Congo, Nyungwe Forest, Gishwati, Makwa and Mukura Forest in Rwanda, Bururi Forest and elsewhere in Burundi, the Rwenzori Mountains and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda, as well as the Virunga Mountain. It is generally rare, only being common in a few threatened forests, which shows unexplained fluctuations in abundance.

Conservation measures

IUCN has proposed that researchers investigate declines and fluctuations in Shelley's Crimson-wing population, in order to assess threats of extinction. This includes surveying the extent of its habitat. The species is currently being researched in low density areas, including the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nyungwe Forest Reserve in Rwanda, and Rwenzori Mountains National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda.^[2]

References

1. ^ "Birdlife Species Factsheet". IUCN. http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp&sid=8616&m=0. Retrieved 2010-10-16. 
2. ^ "Find Shelley". Rare Finch Conservation Group. http://rarefinch.wordpress.com/find-shelley/. Retrieved 2010-10-16. 

External links

• Rare Finch Conservation Group Official Blog
• Rare Finch Conservation Group Official website