Short-legged Ground-Roller Brachypteracias leptosomus Scientific name definitions

30–38 cm; male 186 g, female 154 g, unsexed 183–217 g. Largest rainforest ground-roller, long-winged, short-­leg­­ged, plump, with large head and puffy throat. Male bronzy green above, hindcrown and nape with violet-blue gloss, pale buffy super­cilium; rump and uppertail-coverts blue-green, uppertail with dark bronzy green gloss; undertail bronzy brown, all but central pair of feathers with dark subterminal band and light-coloured tips; wing-coverts with white crescent-shaped marks outlined in black, dark primaries with whitish wingbar visible in flight; sides of face maroon-brown with white spots, merging into brown-streaked buffy throat; white breastband, rest of underparts buff-white with brown bars, belly and vent least patterned; iris brown; stout, slightly hooked bill dark brown or horn-brown with dull yellow flange, nostrils near base of upper mandible covered by bristly feathers, mouth-lining dull yellow; legs brownish yellow to golden, toes greenish yellow, claws brownish or greenish yellow. Female differs only in slightly smaller size (e.g. wing 138–143 mm, versus wing of male 140–152 mm) (1 Safford, R. J., and A. F. A. Hawkins, Editors (2013). The Birds of Africa. Volume 8. The Malagasy Region. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Juvenile duller, browner, crown with white dots and no lilac there or on hindneck, breastband fainter, buffier below with brown-tipped (not barred) feathers on lower underparts, whitish lower mandible (perhaps in youngest birds), otherwise blackish with white tip (1 Safford, R. J., and A. F. A. Hawkins, Editors (2013). The Birds of Africa. Volume 8. The Malagasy Region. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

E Madagascar, from Daraina and Tsaratanana massif in N to Andohahela National Park in S, including Manongarivo in NW, Masoala Peninsula, and Anjozorobe on edge of C plateau.

Inhabits humid parts of rainforest from lowlands up to middle altitudes, almost exclusively in undisturbed dark forest with large trees, damp soil and deep leaf litter, often with relatively open understorey, but found also on gentle ridge slopes with fairly dense growth of saplings, or at edge of thick tangled vegetation; absent from degraded forest. Recorded from sea-level up to 1500 m, but generally prefers lower altitudes; an old record from 1800 m is probably erroneous.

Apparently sedentary and territorial; radio-tagged male occupied home range of 19·1 ha and spent 90% of time with female partner (2 Thorstrom, R. and Lind, J. (1999). First nest description, breeding, ranging and foraging behaviour of the Short-legged Ground-roller Brachypteracias leptosomus in Madagascar. Ibis. 141(4): 569-576. Close ). No evidence of seasonal altitudinal movements, but numerical abundance may change locally with weather.

Most (88%) (2 Thorstrom, R. and Lind, J. (1999). First nest description, breeding, ranging and foraging behaviour of the Short-legged Ground-roller Brachypteracias leptosomus in Madagascar. Ibis. 141(4): 569-576. Close ) food invertebrates , including ants, ant-lions (Myrmeleonidae), beetles and their larvae, caterpillars, centipedes, cicadas, crabs (Sesarma spp.) (2 Thorstrom, R. and Lind, J. (1999). First nest description, breeding, ranging and foraging behaviour of the Short-legged Ground-roller Brachypteracias leptosomus in Madagascar. Ibis. 141(4): 569-576. Close ), grasshoppers, katydids, millipedes, pill-millipedes (Sphaeroterium), preying mantises, slugs, snails, spiders, stick-insects, worms; also small vertebrates (12%) (2 Thorstrom, R. and Lind, J. (1999). First nest description, breeding, ranging and foraging behaviour of the Short-legged Ground-roller Brachypteracias leptosomus in Madagascar. Ibis. 141(4): 569-576. Close ), e.g. chameleons (Brookesia, Calumna and Furcifer spp.) (2 Thorstrom, R. and Lind, J. (1999). First nest description, breeding, ranging and foraging behaviour of the Short-legged Ground-roller Brachypteracias leptosomus in Madagascar. Ibis. 141(4): 569-576. Close ), frogs (e.g. Boophis albilabris?) (3 Evans, M. I., J. W. Duckworth, A. F. A. Hawkins, R. J. Safford, B. C. Sheldon, and R. J. Wilkinson (1992) Key bird species of Marojejy Strict Nature Reserve, Madagascar. Bird Conservation International 2: 201–220. Close ), geckos (Uroplatus spp.) (2 Thorstrom, R. and Lind, J. (1999). First nest description, breeding, ranging and foraging behaviour of the Short-legged Ground-roller Brachypteracias leptosomus in Madagascar. Ibis. 141(4): 569-576. Close ), lizards, snakes (Liophidium sp.) (2 Thorstrom, R. and Lind, J. (1999). First nest description, breeding, ranging and foraging behaviour of the Short-legged Ground-roller Brachypteracias leptosomus in Madagascar. Ibis. 141(4): 569-576. Close ). Possibly also takes bird eggs, as suggested by attacks on it by other species. The most arboreal ground-roller, foraging in canopy in morning, later moving to stratum between lower canopy and ground; may also be active at twilight and later. Perches motionless for long periods (up to one hour, average 5–10 minutes) in small tree or sapling, or pandanus or shrub, turning head only to spot prey, then moves in fast, direct and noisy flight of 5–30 m (1 Safford, R. J., and A. F. A. Hawkins, Editors (2013). The Birds of Africa. Volume 8. The Malagasy Region. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ) towards new perch or towards prey; before taking flight, often ruffles feathers, flicks wings, pumps tail. Most prey captured on tree trunks or among foliage; some taken on ground or in leaf litter, which is searched with the feet, especially in areas with dense shrubs and few herbs. Sometimes takes insects by perch-gleaning or sally-gleaning. Prey killed by means of hitting against a branch or squeezing with tip of bill, after which swallowed whole.

Territorial call a single deep “boob ” (much like a frog or owl) (3 Evans, M. I., J. W. Duckworth, A. F. A. Hawkins, R. J. Safford, B. C. Sheldon, and R. J. Wilkinson (1992) Key bird species of Marojejy Strict Nature Reserve, Madagascar. Bird Conservation International 2: 201–220. Close ) lasting c. 0·5 seconds or less (1 Safford, R. J., and A. F. A. Hawkins, Editors (2013). The Birds of Africa. Volume 8. The Malagasy Region. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ), repeated every 1–5 seconds (1 Safford, R. J., and A. F. A. Hawkins, Editors (2013). The Birds of Africa. Volume 8. The Malagasy Region. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ) for c. 4 minutes, sometimes initiated by faster version that slows until reaches normal speed or gives single “boop” followed by rapid descending “doodoodoodoodoodoodoodoodoo” lasting 2–5 seconds at rate of 2–3 notes/second (1 Safford, R. J., and A. F. A. Hawkins, Editors (2013). The Birds of Africa. Volume 8. The Malagasy Region. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ), sometimes deep churring note between calls, delivered with downward-bobbing head from perch at 5–30 m, beginning prior to sunrise (it being one of the earliest species to vocalize pre-dawn) (2 Thorstrom, R. and Lind, J. (1999). First nest description, breeding, ranging and foraging behaviour of the Short-legged Ground-roller Brachypteracias leptosomus in Madagascar. Ibis. 141(4): 569-576. Close ) and only rarely heard in later morning and in evening; contact call quiet “kroo-kroo” or single “poop”, softer and quieter than territorial call, given throughout day; also, soft brief purring “prrrr” and rasping squawk, associated with female soliciting courtship feeding.

One pair laid in Dec, with replacement clutch in Jan; courtship and copulation Oct–Jan, also birds in breeding condition in Oct–Dec, and juvenile observed in early Jan. Territorial and probably monogamous (1 Safford, R. J., and A. F. A. Hawkins, Editors (2013). The Birds of Africa. Volume 8. The Malagasy Region. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Only two nests known, first in natural cavity 18·1 m (2 Thorstrom, R. and Lind, J. (1999). First nest description, breeding, ranging and foraging behaviour of the Short-legged Ground-roller Brachypteracias leptosomus in Madagascar. Ibis. 141(4): 569-576. Close ) above ground and 1·5 m deep (2 Thorstrom, R. and Lind, J. (1999). First nest description, breeding, ranging and foraging behaviour of the Short-legged Ground-roller Brachypteracias leptosomus in Madagascar. Ibis. 141(4): 569-576. Close ) in Weinmannia tree 30 m tall, with entrance 16 × 19 cm (2 Thorstrom, R. and Lind, J. (1999). First nest description, breeding, ranging and foraging behaviour of the Short-legged Ground-roller Brachypteracias leptosomus in Madagascar. Ibis. 141(4): 569-576. Close ), and, when that failed due to the nest being infested by a swarm of honey bees (Apis mellifera) (2 Thorstrom, R. and Lind, J. (1999). First nest description, breeding, ranging and foraging behaviour of the Short-legged Ground-roller Brachypteracias leptosomus in Madagascar. Ibis. 141(4): 569-576. Close ), second nest excavated (350 m away) (2 Thorstrom, R. and Lind, J. (1999). First nest description, breeding, ranging and foraging behaviour of the Short-legged Ground-roller Brachypteracias leptosomus in Madagascar. Ibis. 141(4): 569-576. Close ) over period of seven days (2 Thorstrom, R. and Lind, J. (1999). First nest description, breeding, ranging and foraging behaviour of the Short-legged Ground-roller Brachypteracias leptosomus in Madagascar. Ibis. 141(4): 569-576. Close ) by both sexes among root mass of epiphytes 22 m up in a 35-m Canarium tree; possibly also excavates in ground, where bird flushed in Sept from burrow with entrance 10 cm wide. Probable nest hole, c. 10 cm in diameter, in earth bank found in mid Sept (3 Evans, M. I., J. W. Duckworth, A. F. A. Hawkins, R. J. Safford, B. C. Sheldon, and R. J. Wilkinson (1992) Key bird species of Marojejy Strict Nature Reserve, Madagascar. Bird Conservation International 2: 201–220. Close ). Clutch probably 1–2 white subelliptical eggs (2 Thorstrom, R. and Lind, J. (1999). First nest description, breeding, ranging and foraging behaviour of the Short-legged Ground-roller Brachypteracias leptosomus in Madagascar. Ibis. 141(4): 569-576. Close ); incubation by female, which left nest 3–4 times per day for 21–109 minutes each time (2 Thorstrom, R. and Lind, J. (1999). First nest description, breeding, ranging and foraging behaviour of the Short-legged Ground-roller Brachypteracias leptosomus in Madagascar. Ibis. 141(4): 569-576. Close ), fed occasionally by male (c. 1 visit per day) (2 Thorstrom, R. and Lind, J. (1999). First nest description, breeding, ranging and foraging behaviour of the Short-legged Ground-roller Brachypteracias leptosomus in Madagascar. Ibis. 141(4): 569-576. Close ), period 22–26 days; single young fledged after nestling period of c. 30 days.

VULNERABLE. Overall population estimated at 1500–7000 mature individuals within a range of 39,200 km². Restricted-range species: present in East Malagasy Wet Forests EBA. Uncommon, but easily overlooked; possibly more numerous than previously thought in appropriate habitat. Recorded in at least 20 protected areas, namely nine national parks, two strict reserves, three special reserves and six Classified Forests, as well as 23 IBAs (77% of total in E Malagasy forest); a substantial part of an important lowland site, Masoala Peninsula, is now a National Park of 220,000 ha (2 Thorstrom, R. and Lind, J. (1999). First nest description, breeding, ranging and foraging behaviour of the Short-legged Ground-roller Brachypteracias leptosomus in Madagascar. Ibis. 141(4): 569-576. Close ), where there are an estimated four territories/km², giving a possible 8800 pairs which, if confirmed, would invalidate overall population estimate. Threatened by rapid habitat destruction, as most of the lowland rainforest of coastal plain already cleared or highly degraded by slash-and-burn agriculture, with commercial logging an additional threat in some areas; if present trends continue, remaining unprotected forest, especially at lower altitudes preferred by this species, will disappear within decades. Species is also hunted, and high levels of parasitism by blood parasites (especially Leucocytozoon) may also be of concern (1 Safford, R. J., and A. F. A. Hawkins, Editors (2013). The Birds of Africa. Volume 8. The Malagasy Region. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).