Usambara Thrush Turdus roehli Scientific name definitions

20–24 cm; 66·5–75·5 g. Adult has head very dark grey, upperparts including tail rich, dark brown, greyish-brown throat with fine, pale streaking, becoming even greyer and less brown on upper breast, and lower breast and belly white, with dull orange flanks, greyish or sandy-buff thighs, and white undertail-coverts with dark tips; bill yellow-orange or even reddish; legs yellowish brown. Sexes similar. Juvenile is like adult, but streaked pale orange above, with pale spots on scapulars and wing-coverts, and paler below with heavy blackish-brown spotting on breast.

NE Tanzania (N Pare Mts to W & E Usambara Mts).

Found in both primary and secondary forest, as well as edge habitats, but not in adjacent small-holder agricultural plots; prefers undisturbed areas between c. 900 and 2300 m. Apparently selects areas with a rather open understorey but closed canopy. Outside forest, replaced by T. libonyanus.

Not definitely known to differ from formerly conspecific T. abyssinicus, although some authors have suggested that clear differences exist between the two species; however, to date, no details appear to be available.

Not globally threatened. Currently considered Near Threatened. Restricted-range species: confined to a small part of the Tanzania–Malawi mountains EBA. Occurs within the Amani Nature Reserve, in the East Usambara Mts. Population has not been quantified but is believed to be declining within its overall rather small and probably fragmented range of just 4700 km². Preferentially uses primary forest and only slightly disturbed forest, thus the species is likely to be declining as a result of encroachment of subsistence agriculture and wood extraction. Some forest areas in W Usambaras have community management plans, but the outcomes and effectiveness of these is not known. In Feb 2000 a three-year evaluation of forest health, land-use change and information sharing in the Eastern Arc forests was established. Satellite imagery, permanent sample plots and stakeholder interviews are used to evaluate forest health.