Yellow-footed Honeyguide Melignomon eisentrauti Scientific name definitions

c. 14·5 cm; male 21–29 g, female 18–25 g (1 Short, L. L., and J. F. M. Horne (2001) Toucans, Barbets and Honeyguides. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). Both sexes yellowish-olive above , with dark-tipped white outer tail; grey-white below, with green-yellow about breast and belly, white undertail-coverts; mainly yellow bill and legs, variable in depth of colour (and legs perhaps much darker during breeding season) (2 Dickerman, R. W., W. P. Cane, M. F. Carter, A. Chapman, and C. G. Schmitt (1994). Report on three collections of birds from Liberia. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 114(4):267–274. Close ), with yellow-green orbital skin (1 Short, L. L., and J. F. M. Horne (2001) Toucans, Barbets and Honeyguides. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). Distinguished from similar M. zenkeri by distinctly paler, whiter undertail-coverts contrasting with rest of underparts, yellow bill, generally yellower legs; from Prodotiscus by lack of white on side of rump, stronger and yellow bill, pale yellowish legs. Juvenile paler, yellower below, outer tail with small or no dark tips of white feathers, orbital skin dull yellow, legs and feet perhaps more orange-yellow (1 Short, L. L., and J. F. M. Horne (2001) Toucans, Barbets and Honeyguides. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ).

Sierra Leone, Liberia (Mt Nimba, Wonegizi Mts), S Ghana and SW Cameroon; reports from Ivory Coast require confirmation.

Mainly primary forest, including drier, semi-deciduous areas (3 Rainey, H., Borrow, N., Demey, R. and Fishpool, L.D.C. (2003). First recordings of vocalisations of Yellow-footed Honeyguide Melignomon eisentrauti and confirmed records in Ivory Coast. Malimbus. 25(1): 31-38. Close ), also adjacent secondary forest, including partially logged, more open and degraded areas (3 Rainey, H., Borrow, N., Demey, R. and Fishpool, L.D.C. (2003). First recordings of vocalisations of Yellow-footed Honeyguide Melignomon eisentrauti and confirmed records in Ivory Coast. Malimbus. 25(1): 31-38. Close ); lowlands to at least 750 m.

Presumably sedentary.

Feeds on insects , and fruits and their seeds; probably also eats beeswax, as yellow waxy material found in stomachs. Forages in canopy up to middle heights; gleans from leaves and branches; sometimes hangs, feet upwards, to take insects. Occasionally joins mixed-species foraging flocks.

Sings (apparently only for relatively brief period in early to mid-afternoon, usually from high songpost) (4 Dowsett-Lemaire, F. (2008). On the singing habits of forest honeyguides of the Guineo-Congolian region, with a request for further information. Bulletin of the African Bird Club 15(1): 24–35. Close ) a series of c. 13 clear, emphatic and slightly descending “tuu-i tuu-i tuu-i tuu-i ... tuu tuu tuu” notes that slow down in finale (5 Borrow, N., and R. Demey (2001). Birds of Western Africa. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ), are somewhat raptor-like in tone (4 Dowsett-Lemaire, F. (2008). On the singing habits of forest honeyguides of the Guineo-Congolian region, with a request for further information. Bulletin of the African Bird Club 15(1): 24–35. Close ), and last c. 12·5 seconds. Differs M. zenkeri in having more drawn-out, strident notes, while song of M. zenkeri features virtually inaudible first and final notes, rises initially and drops notably at end (3 Rainey, H., Borrow, N., Demey, R. and Fishpool, L.D.C. (2003). First recordings of vocalisations of Yellow-footed Honeyguide Melignomon eisentrauti and confirmed records in Ivory Coast. Malimbus. 25(1): 31-38. Close ). Calls, given during interaction between two birds, indistinct “wrreew wrreew rreew-rreew-rreew truwp” (3 Rainey, H., Borrow, N., Demey, R. and Fishpool, L.D.C. (2003). First recordings of vocalisations of Yellow-footed Honeyguide Melignomon eisentrauti and confirmed records in Ivory Coast. Malimbus. 25(1): 31-38. Close ). Sometimes descends comparatively low above ground in response to playback (3 Rainey, H., Borrow, N., Demey, R. and Fishpool, L.D.C. (2003). First recordings of vocalisations of Yellow-footed Honeyguide Melignomon eisentrauti and confirmed records in Ivory Coast. Malimbus. 25(1): 31-38. Close ).

Unknown. Data from specimens suggest breeding in Mar (possibly Nov–Jun) in Liberia, and Aug and Dec in Cameroon; song only heard Dec–Mar in Ghana, Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone (4 Dowsett-Lemaire, F. (2008). On the singing habits of forest honeyguides of the Guineo-Congolian region, with a request for further information. Bulletin of the African Bird Club 15(1): 24–35. Close ). Hosts possibly woodpeckers.

Not globally threatened. Currently considered Near Threatened. Very poorly known and, until 2017, considered Data Deficient (6 Butchart, S. H. M. (2007). Birds to find: a review of ‘lost’, obscure and poorly known African bird species. Bulletin of the African Bird Club 14(2):139–157. Close ). Rare throughout range, and habitat diminishing as forest cleared; easily overlooked, however, and possibly more common than thought. Described only in 1981, and now known from c. 20 sites in at least six (7 Lachenaud, O. (2006). Les oiseaux du Parc National du Banco et de la Forêt Classée de l’Anguédédou, Côte d’Ivoire. Malimbus 28(2):107–133. Close ) countries across W Africa; conceivably present, but undiscovered, in other forested parts of W Africa. Population size has not been quantified, but suspected to be low. However, it is likely to be under recorded because its song was unknown until 2000 (3 Rainey, H., Borrow, N., Demey, R. and Fishpool, L.D.C. (2003). First recordings of vocalisations of Yellow-footed Honeyguide Melignomon eisentrauti and confirmed records in Ivory Coast. Malimbus. 25(1): 31-38. Close ), and it is mainly vocal in the afternoon when observers are less active (8 Dowsett-Lemaire, F., and R. J. Dowsett (2014). The Birds of Ghana: An Atlas and Handbook. Tauraco Press, Liège, Belgium. Close ). Known from a reasonable number of protected areas considering the species’ overall small range, many of them only discovered since its voice has become known, including Sapo National Park and North Lorma National Forest (Liberia) (6 Butchart, S. H. M. (2007). Birds to find: a review of ‘lost’, obscure and poorly known African bird species. Bulletin of the African Bird Club 14(2):139–157. Close ), Atewa Ranage and Bura River Forest Reserves (6 Butchart, S. H. M. (2007). Birds to find: a review of ‘lost’, obscure and poorly known African bird species. Bulletin of the African Bird Club 14(2):139–157. Close ), and Kakum National Park (Ghana) (5 Borrow, N., and R. Demey (2001). Birds of Western Africa. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ), Cross River National Park (Nigeria) (6 Butchart, S. H. M. (2007). Birds to find: a review of ‘lost’, obscure and poorly known African bird species. Bulletin of the African Bird Club 14(2):139–157. Close ), Marahoué (5 Borrow, N., and R. Demey (2001). Birds of Western Africa. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ) and Mont Péko National Parks (9 Rainey, H., and O. Lachenaud (2002). Recent bird observations from Ivory Coast. Malimbus 24(1):23–37. Close ), Anguédédou (7 Lachenaud, O. (2006). Les oiseaux du Parc National du Banco et de la Forêt Classée de l’Anguédédou, Côte d’Ivoire. Malimbus 28(2):107–133. Close ), Cavally and Guéoulé Forest Reserves (3 Rainey, H., Borrow, N., Demey, R. and Fishpool, L.D.C. (2003). First recordings of vocalisations of Yellow-footed Honeyguide Melignomon eisentrauti and confirmed records in Ivory Coast. Malimbus. 25(1): 31-38. Close ), and possibly Banco (7 Lachenaud, O. (2006). Les oiseaux du Parc National du Banco et de la Forêt Classée de l’Anguédédou, Côte d’Ivoire. Malimbus 28(2):107–133. Close ) and Taï National Parks (Ivory Coast) (5 Borrow, N., and R. Demey (2001). Birds of Western Africa. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ), and Gola Forest Reserve (Sierra Leone). Key to understanding both present species and M. zenkeri is their as yet unknown hosts.