Justification Recent surveys have shown that this species's population is declining very rapidly as a result of habitat alteration within its small range. It is therefore listed as Endangered.

Family/Sub-family Corvidae

Species name author Moltoni, 1938

Taxonomic source(s) Dowsett and Forbes-Watson (1993), Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)

Identification 30 cm. Small, starling-like crow. Pale grey head and body. Black wings and tail. Bare, blue skin around eye. Sexes similar, juvenile slightly more dingy. Similar spp. Non-breeding Wattled Starling Creatophora cinerea is much smaller, with pale rump. Voice Harsh, rasping calls and chattering. Hints Occurs in groups of 4-10, often in association with White-crowned Starling Spreo albicapillus. Common in Acacia savanna north, south and east of Yabello town, southern Ethiopia.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

2,500-9,999

decreasing

4,600 km²

Yes

Range & population Zavattariornis stresemanni is confined to the area around Yabello, Arero, and Mega, southern Ethiopia. The nucleus of the species's range is in the southern part of the Yabello Wildlife Sanctuary⁴. No population estimate has been made, but brief surveys in 1989 suggested densities had remained constant through the 1980s. Surveys in 1996 found the species to be common within its restricted range¹. However, encounter rates on roadside counts in the Yabello Wildlife Sanctuary (which includes a large part of the range of this species) declined by 80% between 1989 and 2003, suggesting that the population is very rapidly decreasing⁴.

Important Bird Areas Click here to view map showing IBAs where species is recorded and triggers any of the IBA criteria.

Ecology: It is found in open, semi-arid areas of short-grass savanna with scattered low Acacia bushes at c.1,700 m ¹, including the vicinity of towns^2,5. It feeds mostly on arthropods⁵ and, outside the breeding season, is gregarious¹. It mainly feeds by extracting pupae and larvae from soil or from under cattle dung, however it also feeds on flying insects such as Lepidoptera, and may search for larvae in rotten branches and pick parasites from cattle⁵. It is also seen at village refuse dumps. Its crucial habitat requirement appears to be the presence of loosely packed, relatively deep soil with the presence of the preferred food resource, beetle larvae. Such conditions occur where birds frequently feed, in open Acacia stands used for sheep and cattle pasture, and to a lesser extent, cultivated fields, particularly their edges. These specific conditions probably explain its restricted range, as well as the high concentrations of breeding pairs found in thinned-out Acacia stands and the high densities adjacent to freshly ploughed fields⁵. Breeding takes place in February/March, and can involve cooperation with usually one, but possibly up to four, extra-pair individuals, which each may help more than one nesting pair⁵. The normal nest-site is in the top of an Acacia bush (2.5-10 m high)⁵ and clutch-size is up to six. It has been recorded breeding in May/June, which would indicate either that birds are double-brooded or have an extended breeding season. Breeding pairs range for about 2 ha during nest building⁵.

Threats Analysis of satellite imagery between 1986 and 2002 indicates that there has been an increase in vegetation density in Yabello Wildlife Sanctuary through bush encroachment, probably as a result of increased grazing pressure from livestock, the enforcement of fire suppression in the sanctuary and the disappearance of wild herbivores⁴. As the species prefers more open habitat, this is likely to be the primary cause of population declines. Political and administrative intervention has encouraged more maize cultivation in the species's range, in an effort to develop a monetary economy and promote self-sufficiency and the constitution of food stocks in an area that was dominated by nomadic pastoralism 10-20 years ago⁵. Expanding cultivation is thought to have caused population decreases near Mega⁴, and is driving the large-scale clearance of Acacia stands near Derido and Yabello⁵. The partial clearance of dense Acacia scrub to allow grass-growth for cattle does not appear to have affected the species and may even benefit it². However, recent research indicates that tall Acacia bushes, in which this species nests, are being cleared intensively (for both firewood and grazing land), and this may now be having a negative impact on the species³. Acacia stands in areas surrounding villages tend to occupy land that is particularly suitable for cultivation, and with a rapid increase in the human population, the continued loss of the species's habitat is predicted⁵. Over recent years Yabello has become an administrative centre for Borena Zone, with a continually expanding residential area, signifying human population growth and land use changes in an important area for the species⁵.

Conservation measures underway A detailed study of the species's ecology is currently underway⁶. Yabello Sanctuary (c.2,500 km²) was designated in 1985 to protect this species and White-tailed Swallow Hirundo megaensis, but it has not yet been gazetted and management for ranching has taken place in the sanctuary⁴. Although tree clearance for firewood is prohibited in the sanctuary, this is difficult to enforce, and clearance for cultivation is apparently acceptable⁵. Responsibility for protected areas has now passed to the Regional Government, so it is hoped that collaboration between Regional and Zonal Governments and local communities may result in more substantive protection¹.

Conservation measures proposed Continue to study of its ecology and behaviour⁵. Continue to study its distribution and status. Carry out further surveys in areas outside the Yabello Wildlife Sanctuary to determine their importance to the species⁴. Draw up an action plan for the conservation of the species and its habitat, and implement conservation actions in collaboration with local communities and regional authorities. Protect large Acacia bushes. Tackle overgrazing and bush encroachment⁴. Research the effects of fire and fire suppression on the species's habitat; prescribed fire could be used to check the expansion of dense bush⁴.

References Collar and Stuart (1985). 1. EWNHS (1996). 2. P. Robertson in litt. (1998). 3. A. Shimelis in litt. (1999). 4. Borghesio and Giannetti (2005). 5. Gedeon (2006). 6. M. Wondafrash in litt. (2007).

Text account compilers Jonathan Ekstrom (BirdLife International), Matt Harding (BirdLife International), Sue Shutes (BirdLife International), Malcolm Starkey (BirdLife International), Joe Taylor (BirdLife International)

Contributors Luca Borghesio (University of Illinois at Chicago), Pete Robertson (BirdLife International), Anteneh Shimelis, Mengistu Wondafrash (EWNHS)

IUCN Red List evaluators Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Joe Taylor (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Zavattariornis stresemanni. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 10/2/2010

This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.

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