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Forest Penduline-Tit Anthoscopus flavifrons Scientific name definitions

Steve Madge
Version: 1.0 — Published March 4, 2020
Text last updated January 1, 2008

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Originally Appeared in

HBW Alive

Field Identification

9 cm; c. 7–9 g. Tiny plain olive-green passerine with yellowish forehead, small, conical and sharply pointed bill proportionately larger than that of congeners (and may give impression of having downward curve), quite strong legs with short tibia. Nominate race has golden-yellow forehead, sometimes lightly speckled (yellowish forehead very difficult to see in gloom of forest canopy); crown, nape and upperparts olive-green, wing and tail feathers blackish-grey, fringed olive-green, except for flight-feathers, which narrowly edged dull yellow; lores and sides of head and neck dusky olive, finely streaked olive-yellow, paling on chin and lower ear-coverts; throat and underparts dull yellowish-olive, slightly mottled darker, yellowest on belly; in worn plumage becomes drabber as yellowish-green feather fringes abrade, exposing duskier feather bases; iris brown or blackish; bill blackish, becoming paler towards base and on cutting edges; legs slate-grey or blue-grey. Sexes similar. Juvenile is duller than adult, more greyish-green above, with narrower, buffer forehead band, underparts unmottled, washed buff on breast, distinctly yellowish on belly. Races differ mainly in intensity of yellow or buff tones in plumage: waldronae is brighter yellowish-green above than nominate, and has breast paler and clearer yellow; ruthae has forehead buffy rufous and speckled with black, underparts paler off-white, washed light yellowish-buff (brightest on belly and undertail coverts), lower ear-coverts and throat cinnamon-buff, diffuse brownish patches at side of breast.

Systematics History

Editor's Note: This article requires further editing work to merge existing content into the appropriate Subspecies sections. Please bear with us while this update takes place.

Compared to A. punctifrons, A. parvulus, A. musculus, A. caroli, A. sylviella and A. minutus, structural features, plumage coloration and rainforest habitat all suggest more distant affinities than exist among those six. Race waldronae initially named “waldroni”, but internal information “for Miss Fanny Waldron” requires emendation. Three subspecies recognized.

Subspecies

SUBSPECIES

Anthoscopus flavifrons waldronae Scientific name definitions

Anthoscopus flavifrons waldronae
A. f. waldronae

Distribution

N Liberia (N Lofa County, Mt Nimba), S Ivory Coast (forests of Taï, Fresco and Yapo) and SW Ghana (Goaso and Kakum Forests).
SUBSPECIES

Anthoscopus flavifrons flavifrons Scientific name definitions

Anthoscopus flavifrons flavifrons
A. f. flavifrons

Distribution

SE Nigeria (Itu and Umuagwu), S Cameroon (Lolodorf, Elat and Aboulou), Equatorial Guinea (Mbini), N Gabon (Belinga, M’Bes, Makokou, M’Passa and Mondah Estuary), N and SW Congo (Odzala and Nouabale-Ndoki National Parks; Kouilou) and N DRCongo (Equateur and Orientale Provinces).
SUBSPECIES

Anthoscopus flavifrons ruthae Scientific name definitions

Distribution

E DRCongo (SE Kivu).

Distribution

Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Habitat

Lowland evergreen forest, favouring forest edge, clearings and the like. Found also in well-grown secondary forest and overgrown plantations, especially those with flowering or fruiting trees, e.g. cotton trees (Bombax), figs (Ficus) and haronga (Harungana). Lowlands, to 600 m.

Movement

None documented, probably sedentary.

Diet and Foraging

Food items include small insects and small pulpy fruits. Forages in middle and upper canopy, sometimes much lower; easily overlooked. Forages actively, partially concealed by leaves, quickly moving from one tree to another. Has a particular passion for clumps of mistletoe (Loranthus) and large sticky flowers of such trees as Bombax, where has been seen to forage inside the flowers themselves. Generally found in pairs or in small parties of 3–5 individuals, often scattered in canopy of one tree; readily associates with other small birds, such as the smaller sunbirds (Nectariniidae). An exceptional flock of at least 30 individuals reported; these were pulling apart the debris of old nests of red weaver-ant (Oecophylla) in low foliage. Has been seen also to break into old nests of social spiders (Araneae).

Sounds and Vocal Behavior

Not very vocal, or possibly most calls are high-pitched and pass unheard by humans. Calls include extremely high and thin “tseet” or “tit”, sometimes accelerating into a trill; also an almost orthopteran-like “pshit”, and a clear “tsi” which accelerates into a shrill, trilling “tsi-si-si-si…”.

Breeding

Few observations. Birds in breeding condition (or in act of nesting) in Nov in Nigeria, Dec in Cameroon, Oct and Mar in Gabon, Oct in PRCongo and Jul and Oct in DRCongo. One observation of three or four birds visiting same nest, and another observation of three males (all with enlarged gonads) at or near nest on same day, suggest possible communal breeding. Nest typically suspended from twigs, very well made and can last for several years, a felted bag constructed from soft plant materials, e.g. Bombax ovary hairs (kapok) or cotton (Gossypium) heads, has self-closing short tubular entrance, and below this a false entrance (aimed at enticing predators, notably some predatory ants), with wall between real chamber and false chamber especially thick and impenetrable. No further information.

Conservation Status

Conservation status on Birdlife LC Least Concern
Not globally threatened. Not well known. Generally regarded as rare, and infrequently seen, but is probably not uncommon; clearly under-recorded, being difficult to locate among leaves of forest canopy owing to its small size and featureless coloration. Population assessments for such an elusive species difficult to make, but density of 3–5 pairs/km² estimated in Gabon; in complete contrast, only two sightings in 53 days in the field at a site in Ivory Coast (Taï Forest). Most mysterious is E race ruthae, which is known from only two specimens and a couple of sight records. Although much lowland rainforest has already been felled, this species’ reliance on forest clearings with flowering trees makes it less vulnerable than are many other small forest birds in its range. It is known to be present in several national parks, and at several sites its presence has been indicated by its obvious nests, which can remain intact for several years.
Distribution of the Forest Penduline-Tit - Range Map
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  • Year-round
  • Migration
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  • Non-Breeding
Distribution of the Forest Penduline-Tit

eBird and Macaulay Library

Recommended Citation

Madge, S. (2020). Forest Penduline-Tit (Anthoscopus flavifrons), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.foptit1.01
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