MAP 5 : Ashy Starling distribution at the base of the Iringa Highlands

MAP 5 : Ashy Starling distribution at the base of the Iringa Highlands.

Although much of these data are related to records along roads the altitudinal limits of Ashy Starling are clearly shown. It is totally absent from the Iringa Plateau. Along the road north to Dodoma the highest record is just into the woodland on the escarpment at 1130m. Along the road west to Pawaga it occurs as high as 1345m where the drier woodland is at a higher altitude in the rain shadow of the Udzungwa Mts. At the base of the Kitonga Gorge it occurs no higher that 725m.

This map also shows it absent along the shore of Mtera Dam where at low water the open grassland covers several km². Interestingly at this scale it is also shown absent from the rice fields near Pawaga although it occurs in the dry acacia country on the fringes of the rice.