Charles Darwin University

CDU eSpace
Institutional Repository

 
CDU Staff and Student only
 

Rediscovery of the Timor Bush Warbler Locustella timorensis on Alor and Timor Wallacea: clarifying taxonomic affinities defining habitat and survey recommendations

Trainor, Colin R., Verbelen, Philippe and Hoste, Serge (2012). Rediscovery of the Timor Bush Warbler Locustella timorensis on Alor and Timor Wallacea: clarifying taxonomic affinities defining habitat and survey recommendations. Bird Conservation International,22(3):354-369.

Document type: Journal Article
Citation counts: Scopus Citation Count Cited 1 times in Scopus Article | Citations

Google Scholar Search Google Scholar
Attached Files (Some files may be inaccessible until you login with your CDU eSpace credentials)
Name Description MIMEType Size Downloads
Download this reading Trainor_38182.pdf Published version application/pdf 841.60KB 212
Reading the attached file works best in Firefox, Chrome and IE 9 or later.

IRMA ID 82057923xPUB322
Title Rediscovery of the Timor Bush Warbler Locustella timorensis on Alor and Timor Wallacea: clarifying taxonomic affinities defining habitat and survey recommendations
Author Trainor, Colin R.
Verbelen, Philippe
Hoste, Serge
Journal Name Bird Conservation International
Publication Date 2012
Volume Number 22
Issue Number 3
ISSN 0959-2709   (check CDU catalogue open catalogue search in new window)
Scopus ID 2-s2.0-84866366606
Start Page 354
End Page 369
Total Pages 16
Place of Publication United Kingdom
Publisher Cambridge University Press
HERDC Category C1 - Journal Article (DIISR)
Abstract The Timor Bush Warbler Locustella timorensis was first collected by Georg Stein on Mount Mutis, West Timor in 1932, but there have been no confirmed field observations since. Here we report on the discovery of a new population of bush warbler on Alor (9 September 2009), which prompted a search for, and subsequent rediscovery, of the nominate Timor Bush Warbler (20 December 2009) in Timor-Leste. We also undertook the first bush warbler searches in the mountains on Atauro Island, and the first ornithological exploration of the mountains of Pantar and Wetar islands. On Alor, at least 13 male bush warblers were heard singing from shrub and grass beneath woodland and forest edge at 859–1,250 m. On Timor, at least 40 males were heard during December, April and July from tall grassland below Mount Ramelau (1,720–2,100 m), Timor-Leste. The song structure of the Alor and Timor birds is similar, and close to Javan Bush Warbler L. montis of Java and Bali, as well as to recordings of Russet Bush Warbler L. mandelli of mainland Asia and Benguet Bush Warbler L. seebohmi from the Philippines. The song of the Alor bird is substantially higher pitched (mean min/max 3,233–4,980 kHz) than the Timor bird (2,928–4,761 kHz) and both are substantially higher pitched than Javan birds. Recordings of Russet Bush Warbler from mainland Asia are higher pitched than songs of all insular taxa, and the song of Benguet Bush Warbler is of a similar pitch to the Timor bird. Recent molecular studies have found that divergences between Javan Bush Warbler and the Russet Bush Warbler are slight, and the high degree of song similarity of the Alor and Timor populations to Javan Bush Warbler places them close to the Benguet Bush Warbler complex. The Timor Bush Warbler is recognised as ‘Near Threatened’ by IUCN, but this will require re-evaluation. On Alor, suitable habitat is extensive and under little threat, but grassland in the uplands of West and East Timor is intensively grazed and regularly burnt. Further field surveys are needed on both Timor and Alor to capture birds, clarify taxonomic relationships using molecular approaches, and further define habitat use and conservation status. Bush warblers were not recorded from Pantar, Atauro and Wetar islands.
DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0959270911000530   (check subscription with CDU E-Gateway service for CDU Staff and Students  check subscription with CDU E-Gateway in new window)


© copyright

Every reasonable effort has been made to ensure that permission has been obtained for items included in CDU eSpace. If you believe that your rights have been infringed by this repository, please contact digitisation@cdu.edu.au.

 
Versions
Version Filter Type
Access Statistics: 128 Abstract Views, 212 File Downloads  -  Detailed Statistics
Created: Fri, 17 Jan 2014, 01:16:11 CST