GLOBALLY THREATENED BIRD IN THE EASTERN ARC MOUNTAINS

THE LONG-BILLED TAILORBIRD Artisornis moreaui
The East Usambara Mountains are home to the critically endangered Long-billed Tailorbird Artisornis moreaui, one of the rarest birds in Tanzania. The specie has a global population restricted to the East Usambara Mountains in Tanzania and the Njesi plateau in northern Mozambique. It was discovered in the Amani Nature Reserve in 1930, though it is currently found in other parts of the East Usambara plateau.

The pressures from anthropogenic activities along the forest edges and invasive Maesopsis eminii takes over natural habitats and hinders the development of vines and climbers in the Eastern Arc Mountains. These threaten Forest Reserves and also push the tailorbird to a point of extinction.

Thus for sustainable conservation of the tailorbird; we need to intensify the involvement of local communities in conservation efforts through sensitization procedures particularly on distribution, ecological requirements and socio-economic importance of the species in protection of territories which are located on the edges of the forests and in the private farmlands.

Measures have to be taken to control further spread of the invasive species in the East Usambara. This can be achieved by removing the large Maesopsis trees in the sites where it has already established itself and prevention of further spread.
Private land owners have to be encouraged to remove the Maesopsis saplings and also cut down the trees from their farms and make use of them.

Written by;
Gloria Lyimo-YET 2011