MAP 7 : The western and north-eastern ecological limits of the Ashy Starling with respect to habitat and sister species.

MAP 7 : The western and north-eastern ecological limits of the Ashy Starling with respect to habitat and sister species.


Within its range the Ashy Starling has no close relative that could be seen as a competitor for such resources as food and nest sites. There are only 2 members of the genus Cosmopsaurus, the other being the Golden-breasted Starling C. regius (although both are sometimes lumped in the larger genus Lamprotornis, Fry & Keith 2000). The latter occurs in even drier country extending southwards from border regions of Ethiopia and Somalia through lowland eastern Kenya to its southern limits in NE Tanzania. It is not a common bird in Tanzania and has been subjected to much persecution by the trade in wild birds. Its ecological niche appears confined to the north-eastern fringes of the Masai Steppe and the drier parts of the middle Pangani Valley through Mkomazi NP into Tsavo West NP. There are only 3 georeferenced records in the Atlas database and one of these is quite recent from the Kitwei Plain where it is very close to the most easterly record of Ashy Starling, which is the only record east of 37º East. However the near presence of this potential competitor does not explain the very real eastern limits of Ashy Starling on the Masai Steppe.

The southern limits are easily understood as this species occurs throughout the acacia zone on the Usangu Flats where these abut the volcanic uplands of the Mbeya Range and the Kipengere and Poroto Mts.

The western limits are also quite well understood in that the Ashy Starling does not occur in Miombo woodland. While not considered a competitor of Ashy Starling the White-winged Starling Neocichla gutturalis is endemic to Miombo and the georeferenced locations shown on this map clearly indicate a range quite separate to that of Ashy Starling. While these 2 species may never actually meet they could conceivably occur together when feeding on termite alles where acacia dominated floodplain habitat fringes on Miombo woodland, especially in the catchment of the Wembere Steppe.

In summary the Bird Atlas continues to provide new insights into our understanding of the distribution of birds throughout Tanzania. The data gathered by the volunteer observers continues to provide Government, International Agencies, Scientists, Conservation managers and others with useful and sometimes vital information on the status of many species.

The Atlas website, blog and email group provide a constant source of new data and are updated on a regular basis. www.tanzaniabirdatlas.com

Neil E. Baker
P.O. Box 1605
Iringa
tzbirdatlas@yahoo.co.uk

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