Burnt-neck Eremomela

By Charlie • October 17, 2006 • No comments yet

Burnt-neck Eremomela Eremomela usticollis
Gauteng, South Africa, October 2006

The Burnt-neck Eremomela is one of eleven species of small warbler, four of which are found in southern Africa. The Burnt-neck Eremomela is a near endemic to the region and is a common resident in thornveld and other dry woodland, usually found in small groups foraging actively for insects. This particular individual was photographed in thornveld to the north of Pretoria.

Taxonomically eremomelas appear to be a difficult group to place: members of the Sylviidae they were once thought closely related to Sylvia warblers themselves, but were placed midway between Crombecs and the Apalises by Ian Sinclair and Peter Ryan in their “Birds of Africa south of the Sahara” (Struik, 2003).

The rather odd family name, incidentally, is derived from a combination of two Greek words: eremos, a wilderness or desert, and melos, a song: hence ‘a desert songster’, a term more accurately applied to other members of the family, but quite evocative regardless…

Burnt-neck Eremomela, south africa

All photos copyright Charlie Moores

Tags: south-africa

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Charlie

Charlie works for an airline and has birded all over the world for twenty years. He wants to be a writer, and thinks no-one would believe his life could be so charmed if he didn't take photos of as many of the birds he sees as possible. Blogging with 10,000 Birds fits his aims, needs, and insecurities perfectly. Really - do birders get much more fortunate than this?

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