Species

Justification
This species is listed as Near Threatened because it has a small range, which is not thought to be declining, but within which its habitat is potentially threatened with clearance and degradation. Any evidence of habitat destruction or alteration or a decline in the species's range might qualify this species for uplisting to a higher threat category.

Taxonomic source(s)
Dowsett, R. J.; Forbes-Watson, A. D. 1993. Checklist of birds of the Afrotropical and Malagasy regions. Tauraco Press, Li

Taxonomic note
Bradypterus cinnamomeus (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) has been split into B. cinnamomeus and B. bangwaensis following Dowsett and Forbes-Watson (1993).

Distribution and population
Bradypterus bangwaensis is known from the Obudu Plateau, Mambilla Plateau and Gotel Mountains, Nigeria (Elgood et al. 1994), and from Mt Oku, Banso Mountains, Bamenda Highlands, Bamboutos Mountains, Bamileke Plateau, Mt Manenguba, the western part of the Adamawa highlands and Poli, Cameroon (Stuart 1986, Urban et al 1997). It is found between 2,000 and 2,900 m on Mt Oku, but must have declined there given the loss below 2,200 m of any kind of bush habitat (Dowsett-Lemaire and Dowsett 1998). Elsewhere, it is still common, or very common, for example, throughout scrubby Maesa forest in the crater of Mt Manenguba and its rims and in forest edge and bracken on the southern slopes (Dowsett-Lemaire and Dowsett 1999), and on the Mambilla Plateau between 1,700-2,300 m (Ash et al. 1989). However, its range is relatively small and fragmented (Stuart 1986).

Population justification
The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is described as locally still common (del Hoyo et al. 2006).

Trend justification
The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of any evidence that habitat destruction is impacting its range.

Ecology
It is a bird of dense undergrowth in small patches of montane forest, at forest edges, secondary growth and thickets under open-canopy forest (F. Dowsett-Lemaire in litt. 1999). It generally occurs at 1,600-2,300 m in Nigeria and 1,900-2,950 m in Cameroon (del Hoyo et al. 2006). It is presumed to feed on small invertebrates, which it forages for near the ground in thick cover. It nests in October-November, occasionally in March-April in Cameroon (del Hoyo et al. 2006).

Threats
This species is potentially threatened by habitat clearance (Stuart 1986). Factors that are thought likely to drive this within the species's range are small-holder cultivation and livestock farming, and small- and large-scale logging for timber.

Conservation actions underway
No specific conservation action is known for this species.

Conservation actions proposed
Carry out surveys to obtain a total population estimate. Monitor population trends through regular surveys. Monitor potential threats to the species's habitat. Protect suitable habitat for the species.

References
Stuart, S. N. 1986. Conservation of Cameroon montane forests. International Council for Bird Preservation, Cambridge, U.K.

Ash, J. S.; Dowsett, R. J.; Dowsett-Lemaire, F. 1989. New ornithological distribution records from eastern Nigeria. In: Dowsett, R.J. (ed.), A preliminary natural history survey of Mambilla Plateau and some lowland forests of eastern Nigeria, pp. 13-27. Tauraco Press, Ely, U.K.

Elgood, J. H.; Heigham, J. B.; Moore, A. M.; Nason, A. M.; Sharland, R. E.; Skinner, N. J. 1994. The birds of Nigeria. British Ornithologists' Union, Tring, U.K.

Urban, E. K.; Fry, C. H.; Keith, S. 1997. The birds of Africa vol. V. Academic Press, London.

Dowsett-Lemaire, F.; Dowsett, R. J. 1998. Surveys of Oku Mt and other IBAs in NW Province (Cameroon), February-March 1998.

Dowsett-Lemaire, F.; Dowsett, R. J. 1999. Survey of birds and amphibians on Mt Manenguba, Mt Nlonako, north Bakossi and around Kupe in 1988-99.

del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Christie, D. 2006. Handbook of the Birds of the World, vol. 11: Old World Flycatchers to Old World Warblers. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain.

Further web sources of information
Hear sounds for this species from xeno-canto, the community database of shared bird sounds from around the world.

View photos and videos, and hear sounds of this species from the Internet Bird Collection

Text account compilers
O'Brien, A., Robertson, P., Symes, A., Taylor, J.

Contributors
Dowsett-Lemaire, F.

IUCN Red List evaluators
Butchart, S., Taylor, J.

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2013) Species factsheet: Bradypterus bangwaensis. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 19/06/2013. Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2013) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 19/06/2013.

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.

To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife

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