Sheppardia aurantiithorax

The species is thought to be fairly common in montane forests within its small range, but its very limited distribution has let to it being classified as Endangered species in the 2008 IUCN Red List.

The Sheppardia aurantiithorax is classified as Endangered (EN), considered to be facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild.

The Rubeho Akalat, Sheppardia aurantiithorax, is a member of the Old World flycatcher family (Muscicapiidae), known from the Eastern Arc of Tanzania. Akalats trapped in 1989 here were assumed to be an isolated population of Iringa Akalat which occurs c. 150 km to the south, but further specimens collected in 2000 led to the description of the bird as a new species. The bird's English name relates to its type locality; the scientific name to the ochraceous colour on its throat and upper breast. More

Sheppardia aurantiithorax – ABC Bulletin Vol 11 No 2 August 2004, p 93. More

Rubeho Akalat Sheppardia aurantiithorax was described in 2004 (Beresford et al 2004). It is endemic to Tanzania, where it is restricted to montane forest at 1,800-2,200 m in the Rubeho highland, the small Wota forest in the Wota Mountains, north-west of the Rubehos and in the Ukaguru Mountains (the Extent of Occurrence is estimated to be 552 km2). There is also one record from 400 m north-east of the Uluguru Mountains, although it is not known what its current status is there. More

Range & population Sheppardia aurantiithorax is endemic to Tanzania, where it is restricted to montane forest at 1,800-2,200 m in the Rubeho highland, the small Wota forest in the Wota Mountains, north-west of the Rubehos and in the Ukaguru Mountains1. There is also one record from 400 m north-east of the Uluguru Mountains, although this is thought to invole a rare case of straggling outside the breeding season. Though it was first mist-netted in 1989 it was only described in 20043. More

Akalat Sheppardia aurantiithorax (Dutch name: Rubehojanfrederik), was mistnetted (but not collected) already in 1989 in the Ukaguru mountains, c 150 km north of the range of Iringa Akalat S lowei, of which it was then assumed to represent an isolated population. More

The Rubeho Akalat, Sheppardia aurantiithorax, is a member of the Old World flycatcher family (Muscicapiidae), known from the Eastern Arc of Tanzania. Akalats trapped in 1989 here were assumed to be an isolated population of Iringa Akalat which occurs c. More