Valéry Schollaert
Respect animals, don't eat or wear their body or s
Hi all,
According to my field records as well as HBW Alive, there is no or very weak differences in habitat, food, breeding and other details of the behaviour of both Buphagus. Some slight animal preferences where both are present, but they often occur on the same (individual) mammal.
The differences are mainly superficial in plumage/bill colour and calls; and, of course, the range. They are locally sympatric and hybrids are very rare.
However, looking at the map, we can see. B. africanus much more widespread in West Africa while B. erythrorynchus is mainly a Southern and Eastern African species.
I didn't find any publication giving the detail of their origin. I guess the common ancestor was widespread, then it was separate geographically in two and both (West / East) long enough to evolve separately in 2 different species although the efficient behaviour didn't have reason to change at all. I wonder what separated them and and more or less when?
Is there any published research that has been done?
Thanks for help
According to my field records as well as HBW Alive, there is no or very weak differences in habitat, food, breeding and other details of the behaviour of both Buphagus. Some slight animal preferences where both are present, but they often occur on the same (individual) mammal.
The differences are mainly superficial in plumage/bill colour and calls; and, of course, the range. They are locally sympatric and hybrids are very rare.
However, looking at the map, we can see. B. africanus much more widespread in West Africa while B. erythrorynchus is mainly a Southern and Eastern African species.
I didn't find any publication giving the detail of their origin. I guess the common ancestor was widespread, then it was separate geographically in two and both (West / East) long enough to evolve separately in 2 different species although the efficient behaviour didn't have reason to change at all. I wonder what separated them and and more or less when?
Is there any published research that has been done?
Thanks for help