Appert's Tetraka Xanthomixis apperti Scientific name definitions

c. 15 cm; 11–17 g. A smallish, slender, distinctively patterned species, narrow bill with lower mandible slightly inflated centrally. Top of head and neck are blue-grey , upperparts , including tail, greenish olive-grey, wings slightly darker, narrow pale yellow fringes on edges of flight-feathers; buffish-white to pale grey supercilium well defined in front of eye, indistinct behind; grey eyestripe dark on lores, paler and less distinct behind eye, blue-grey ear-coverts; eyering pale whitish-grey above and below eye, dark grey in front of and behind eye, blending with supercilium, eyestripe and pale grey cheeks; chin, throat and malar area white, underparts warm yellow, brightest on flanks, centre of belly whitish; iris dark brown; bill dirty pale pink basally , most of upper mandible dark, distal third of lower mandible sometimes also dark; legs pale horn or pale reddish. Sexes alike, female on average smaller than male. Juvenile undescribed.

Deciduous forest at 600–800 m, and a tract of relict evergreen forest on isolated massif at 900–1330 m.

No information; presumed sedentary.

Arthropods. Occurs in small groups of 2–8 individuals, occasionally singly; sometimes in mixed-species flocks with Bernieria madagascariensis. Forages in low dense understorey, rarely above 1 m; often walks on the ground, with wings drooped, gleaning insects from leaves, branches and leaf litter. Perches in low bush when disturbed. Reported also as rising up to 5 m, and as clinging to liane tangles.

Call a high, shivering “tsee” or “tseetsee”, similar to that of X. cinereiceps; also high-pitched alarm, “tsirr”.

No information. Subadult recorded in Apr. Recorded on nest in Dec.

VULNERABLE. Restricted-range species: present in West Malagasy Dry Forests EBA. Very rare and highly localized; population within tiny range estimated to number fewer than 2500 individuals. Known only from a tiny part of Zombitse-Vohibasia National Park and, c. 50 km W of there, the unprotected Analavelona forest. Zombitse and Vohibasia forests were threatened mainly by clearance for maize cultivation and charcoal production; following conservation efforts, including the creation of the national park, there has been no further clearance for several years. Analavelona forest is not managed for conservation, but is relatively isolated and clearance is not thought an imminent threat.