Green Jery
Neomixis viridis
Passeriformes Order – Cisticolidae Family
INTRODUCTION:
The Green Jery is endemic to Madagascar. It occurs in the eastern part of the island, and two subspecies share the range. Both are living in the primary rainforest, and especially in damp, mossy areas. They feed primarily on insects and often join mixed-species foraging flocks.
The Green Jery is not globally threatened, and it is usually locally common within its restricted range.
DESCRIPTION OF THE BIRD:
Biometrics:
Length: 10-11 cm
Weight: 6-7 g
The Green Jery has uniform olive-green top of head and upperparts. The uppertail is dark grey-brown with olive-green wash. On the upperwings, the flight-feathers are dark greyish-brown with paler edges.
The underparts are buffy-white, with chin, throat and breast tinged yellow, but throat and upper breast are streaked olive-grey. Breast sides and flanks are olive-grey. Underwing-coverts and axillaries are creamy white.
On the head, we can see an indistinct, narrow, buff supercilium extending just to behind the eye. There is a dark olive-green stripe extending from lores to behind eye and through upper ear-coverts. Cheeks and lower ear-coverts to neck sides are dull olive-green.
The bill is blackish above, but the lower mandible is flesh-coloured with darker tip. The eyes are pale brown. Legs and feet are yellowish to pale orange.
Male and female are similar.
The juvenile resembles adults but it has darker eyes and mostly orange-brown bill with darker culmen.
SUBSPECIES AND RANGE:
The Green Jery has two subspecies.
N.v. delacourvi is found in NE Madagascar. This race is duller and slightly darker above than nominate.
N.v. viridis (described above) occurs in SE Madagascar.
HABITAT:
The Green Jery frequents the eastern primary rainforest from sea-level to 1,500 metres of elevation, sometimes (but rarely) up to 2,000 metres. The species also occurs in adjacent secondary growths, and sometimes near damp, mossy areas. It can be seen in littoral forest remnants.
CALLS AND SONGS: SOUNDS BY XENO-CANTO
The Green Jery gives harsh, sharp “tick” or “tickititit”. The song is similar to Common Jery but rising in tone, mostly a high “se-see-see-si-stikit” with very high, slightly rasping final phrase. This phrase is usually softer outside the breeding season.
BEHAVIOUR IN THE WILD:
The Green Jery feeds primarily on insects caught by gleaning from vegetation. It may hawk insects in the air, and sometimes hovers briefly to reach some inaccessible food items.
It often joins mixed-species foraging flocks.
The breeding behaviour is unknown.
The Green Jery is resident on the island.
It hovers easily while foraging in front of the vegetation, but the short, rounded wings only allow short-distance flights.
REPRODUCTION OF THIS SPECIES:
Based on observation of males in breeding conditions, the laying occurs mainly in September/November.
Dependent juveniles can be seen in November and March.
The nest is not described, but it is probably similar to that of congeners.
PROTECTION / THREATS / STATUS:
The Green Jery is described as local and uncommon within its restricted range. However, it is present in all E rainforest protected areas.
The species is threatened by habitat destruction and fragmentation, and the population is suspected to be declining.
But currently, the Green Jery is not globally threatened and evaluated as Least Concern.
Fr: Eroèsse verte
Ang: Green Jery
All: Grüntimalie
Esp: Jiji Verde
Ita: Jery verde
Nd: Groene Jery
Sd: grön jery
Mal: farifotramena, Jijy
Text by Nicole Bouglouan
Sources:
HANDBOOK OF THE BIRDS OF THE WORLD Vol 11 by Josep del Hoyo, Andrew Elliott and David Christie - Lynx Edicions - ISBN: 849655306X
The Birds of Africa: Volume VIII: The Malagasy Region: Madagascar, Seychelles, Comoros, Mascarenes - Par Roger Safford, Frank Hawkins – ISBN: 1408190494, 9781408190494- Editeur: A&C Black, 2013
Birds of Madagascar and the Indian Ocean Islands Par Roger Safford, Adrian Skerrett, Frank Hawkins – ISBN: 1472924118, 9781472924117- Editeur: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2015
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