Wedge-tailed Jery Hartertula flavoviridis Scientific name definitions

12–13 cm; 9–11 g. A fairly small, slender, warbler-like bird with long and graduated tail. Has pale eyering and supercilium, olive-green crown and upperparts; bright yellow underparts , green undertail-coverts; iris brown; bill sooty grey above, paler blue-grey below; legs pale yellowish-grey. Differs from Neomixis jeries in larger size, brighter yellow underparts, graduated tail; from similar Short-billed Tetraka (Xanthomixis zosterops) in smaller size, shorter and more slender bill, brighter yellow underparts, less distinct eyering. Sexes alike. Juvenile is similar to adult.

Locally in forested areas of E Madagascar (except Sambirano region).

Dense rainforest understorey. Most frequent at middle altitudes, 500–1400 m; scarce at lower elevations, and absent above 2300 m.

Little known; presumably mostly resident.

Mainly insects. Forages in forest understorey, moving actively through foliage, gleaning insects from leaves, sometimes hanging upside-down. Specializes in opening up clumps of dead leaves encased in spider web at branch tips. In groups of 3–7; often in mixed-species flocks.

Shrill, reedy and nasal “tsee zeeezeezeezeezeezeezee zee zee”, sometimes preceded by shrill “tsit tsit”, uttered continuously during foraging.

Little known. Recorded in Jan. Nest an oval ball, entrance on top at side, built from grasses and other vegetation, suspended 1–2 m above ground. Clutch 2 eggs. No other information.

Not globally threatened. Currently considered Near-threatened. Nowhere common; range fragmented. Perhaps at risk from habitat loss. Middle-altitude forest is less threatened than are other forest types in Madagascar, but continues to be lost to agriculture and timber extraction.