The previous documented sighting of the dusky tetraka (Xanthomixis tenebrosa) — one of the top 10 most wanted species by the Search for Lost Birds — was in 1999.
The dusky tetraka is a species of Old World warbler in the family Bernieridae (tetrakas and allies).
This bird is endemic to the subtropical and tropical moist lowland forests of Madagascar.
It is dark olive-green overall, with a pale yellowish throat and ring around the eye.
Lily-Arison Rene de Roland, Madagascar Program director for the Peregrine Fund, and colleagues set out in December 2022 to search for the elusive bird.
The expedition team found the species in two different remote sites: one on the Masoala peninsula in December 2022 and another near Andapa in January 2023.
“Now that we’ve found the dusky tetraka and better understand the habitat it lives in, we can look for it in other parts of Madagascar, and learn important information about its ecology and biology,” Rene de Roland said.
“There is a lot of biodiversity still to discover in Madagascar.”
“Seeing the bird for the first time was truly a surprise. Our entire team was extremely happy and excited,” said Armand Benjara, a researcher with the Peregrine Fund’s Madagascar Program.
“If dusky tetrakas always prefer areas close to rivers, this might help to explain why the species has been overlooked for so long,” added John Mittermeier, director of the Lost Birds Program at American Bird Conservancy.
“Birding in tropical forests is all about listening for bird calls and so you naturally tend to avoid spending time next to rushing rivers where you can’t hear anything.”
The next steps for the team will be to look for the dusky tetraka again between September and October, when most birds in Madagascar breed.
“We hope to visit additional sites that match the habitat and elevation where we saw the species in December and January to understand its distribution and conservation status,” Rene de Roland…
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