Wikipedia:Today's featured article/June 25, 2014

The white-necked rockfowl is a medium-sized bird in the family Picathartidae, mainly found in fragmented groups in rocky forested areas at higher altitudes in West Africa from Guinea to Ghana. The rockfowl typically chooses to live near streams and inselbergs. It has greyish-black upperparts and white underparts. Its unusually long, dark brown tail is used for balance. The head is nearly featherless, with the exposed skin being bright yellow except for two large, circular black patches located just behind the eyes. These rockfowl feed primarily on insects, though parents feed small frogs to their young. Rockfowl move through the forest primarily through a series of hops and bounds or short flights in low vegetation. This species rarely flies for long distances. This species is classified as Vulnerable as it is threatened by habitat destruction; conservation efforts are underway in parts of its range. Some of the indigenous peoples of Sierra Leone considered the species to be a protector of the home of their ancestral spirits. This rockfowl is considered one of Africa’s most desirable birds by birders and is a symbol of ecotourism across its range. (Full article...)

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