From: Brian Finch <birdfinch@gmail.com>
Date: 2010-01-30 11:07
Subject: Fw: MORE ON BLACK-CHEEKED/FACED WAXBILLS…..
bold">From: Brian Finch <birdfinch@gmail.com>
To: Itai Shanni <itaisha1@yahoo.com>
Sent: Fri, 29 January, 2010 16:25:39
Subject: MORE ON BLACK-CHEEKED/FACED WAXBILLS…..
MORE ON BLACK-CHEEKED/FACED WAXBILLS…..
Dear All,
I have done some more research regarding Black-cheeked Waxbill
Estrilda charmosyna.
I have received emails from Neil Baker and Matt Aeberhard in Tanzania
who say that they have never come across the bird in Tanzania, and
that there are no records south of our border.
I stated incorrectly that the southern dark form was undescribed, this
was wrong it is described as
distinct from the nominate, as Estrilda
charmosyna kiwanukae. On trying to learn more of this I came across
the following.
Mackworth-Praed and Grant
Treat erythronotus (race delamerei) and charmosyna as erythronotus,
not being aware of kiwanukae. Charmosyna has an eastern and northern
distribution.
Stevenson and John Fanshawe
Make no mention of the existence of kiwanukae, even though that is
what they have illustrated instead of the widespread nominate. The map
shows no crossing into Tanzania.
Zimmermann and Turner
Give details of the dark second form of Black-cheeked as Estrilda
charmosyna kiwanukae, but the range is endemic to Magadi Road as far
as Olorgesailie and sympatric with Estrilda erythronotus delamerei
over this range. Their map shows its proximity to the Tanzanian
border, but not quite reaching it.
Britton
Is pre erythronotus/charmosyna split and both are treated
under
Black-cheeked Waxbill, the pre-split name which now is reserved for
charmosyna. However the distribution under the charmosyna umbrella
with no mention or recognition of kiwanukae, is given as also
occurring in Thika, Simba and both East and West Tsavo, as well as
Lake Magadi/Olorgesailie.
Howard and Moore
Recognises charmosyna as distinct from erythronotus, and the
existence of three races of charmosyna. Nominate is in Somalia, S.
Ethiopia, S. Sudan, Uganda and N. Kenya. A race pallidior is given as
C. Kenya, which presumably relates to the Thika record in Britton.
Finally kiwanukae is given as S Kenya and N. Tanzania.
Clements
Compounds the story by calling erythronotus Black-cheeked Waxbill, and
charmosyna as Red-rumped Waxbill! However whilst not recognising
pallidior, he does list nominate as much the same distribution as
Howard and Moore, except in Kenya where he has it only
in the NE.
Kiwanukae is given S Kenya to extreme N Tanzania.
Clement, Harris and Davis, Finches and Sparrows
This is the monograph of the estrildids. More confusion in common
names as Black-faced Waxbill is used for the DRC endemic Estrilda
nigriloris. They were not recognising charmosyna as a species, and
include it in with erythronotus which they call Black-cheeked Waxbill.
Monograph or not, a look at the plate will show an enormous screw-up.
I started reading the text, and they were stating that delamerei was
very different from the southern nominate, and so I wanted to see just
how different it looked on the plate (45), and lo and behold the bird
labelled as delamerei is in fact kiwanukae race of charmosyna, so then
looking at what they were calling charmosyna, it is in fact delamerei!
Of the five illustrations there is no nominate charmosyna illustrated.
Referring back to the text, it further stated
that charmosyna might be
a distinct species from erythronotus. For distributions charmosyna is
given as extending south to Tsavo East and West, kiwanukae though is
given southern Kenya from Magadi to Teita (which mean an overlap of
charmosyna and kiwanukae in Tsavos!!!), to Olduvai and Dodoma, N.
Tanzania. They do not mention pallidior.
So the truth of these three forms in East Africa is still wide open
for some proper investigation, as it would seem that in all
publications, only confusion reigns.
Best to all
Brian