Gola Malimbe Malimbus ballmanni

Gola Malimbe holotype, figure from Bonn Museum

Introduction

The Gola Malimbe was formally described by Hans Edmund Wolters, a German ornithologist. The Gola Malimbe was first collected by Dr Peter Ballmann, a German geoscientist.Ballmann collected a specimen in 1972 in Eremospatha und Diospyros manii forest, and kept the bird in alcohol, not realising at first that he had found a new species.

The previous year, in 1971, G. D. Field noticed a new malimbe species in the Gola Forest of eastern Sierra Leone. After that, Field observed the species several times in primary rainforest, which was suffering from disturbance by logging activities. In 1979 Field published a description of the species without obtaining a specimen, naming it Malimbus golensis after the locality. Two years later Prigogine (1981) pointed out that Field’s species was the same species as published by Wolters (1974).

The scientific name Malimbus ballmanni, given by Wolters, was published first and thus takes precedence, the species was kept the English name based on Field’s name, i.e. Gola Malimbe.

The Gola Malimbe was first illustrated by Field 1979a as a line drawing of a pair of birds and a juvenile. Colour illustrations first appeared in modern field guides.

Scientific citation

Malimbus ballmanni Wolters 1974a, Bonn. Zool. Beitr. 25 p.283, between Cavally R. and Keibli R., near Taï, Ivory Coast.

Meaning of names

ballmanni, Named after Dr Peter Ballmann 1941-.

First English name

Tai Malimbe (Howard 1984a).

Alternate names

Ballmann’s Malimbe, Tai Malimbe.

Collector

Dr Peter Ballmann.

Date collected

1972.

Locality collected

Forest near Tai in Ivory Coast.

Type specimens

The types are in the Bonn Museum (holotype ZFMK-72.799).

Identification. The Gola Malimbe is a restricted range species that was described as recently as 1974. The Gola Malimbe (photo above) is the only ploceid in the Upper Guinea high forest that has a yellow breast, black belly and yellow undertail-coverts.The nape is yellow in the male and black in the female. The immatures is greyer, with some yellow on the head, and a pale bill. The female Gola Malimbe has a yellow breast while female Rachel’s Malimbe has a yellow breast tinged with orange (and ranges do not overlap).

Distribution. Three Gola Malimbe populations are known: in eastern Sierra Leone (Gola Forest) and adjacent western Liberia; in eastern Liberia and adjacent western Ivory Coast, and a recently found population in south-eastern Guinea (see map above, based on Birds of Africa).

No races are recognised, but the Gola Malimbe has also erroneously been described as M. golensis.

Habitat. The Gola Malimbe inhabits the middle storey of primary lowland rain-forest. It is also found in logged high forest and in mature secondary forest. The species is solitary, or found in small groups, and usually occurs in mixed-species foraging flocks through the year.

Food. The Gola Malimbe feeds on insects up to 3 cm long, including grasshoppers and mantids. It forages actively, by gleaning green leaves and horizontal twigs for insects. It also investigates vertical twigs and liana-covered branches. The Gola Malimbe rarely probes in dry, rolled leaves. Foraging is usually between 8 and 22m above the forest floor.

Breeding. The Gola Malimbe is probably monogamous. It is a solitary nester, and nest building is co-operative.

The male sings and displays by facing the female, with the yellow breast and undertail-covert feathers lifted.

The nest resembles an inverted sock having a globular chamber and tubular entrance (about 25 cm) pointing down. The nest is suspended from the tip of vertically hanging lianas. The nest is sited between 8 and 21 m above the ground.

Several Gola Malimbes from a mixed-species foraging flock will visit a nest site several times a day at irregular intervals; some will weave whilst others fly to and fro with building material and wait for a turn to build. Up to five individuals work on a nest simultaneously, with males tending to work on the attachment and outside of the nest, and females working mainly on the inside and on the entrance spout.

There is no information on the eggs. Three or more individuals may feed young when a foraging flock passes an active nest.

Breeding season
Nest-building activity suggest breeding probably in Jun-Jul and Sept-Nov; dependent young noted Oct-Mar

Nest site
always suspended 8-21 m above ground (six nests at 10-15 m, five at 16-20 m) from ends of vertical hanging vines

Nest building
up to five individuals work at nest simultaneously, males working mainly outside, females working inside and on entrance sprout

Colony size
Solitary nester

Clutch size
no information

Egg colour
no information

Egg size
no information

Incubation
no information

Chicks and nestling period
three or more individuals may feed young when a foraging flock passes near an occupied nest