Subdesert mesite

Description

The mesias monias ( Monias benschi ) is a species of endemic mesitornithiform bird from southwestern Madagascar.It is one of the three species of the Mesitornithidae family and the only one of the genus Monias.The mesias monias is a medium-sized bird with terrestrial habits similar in appearance to a long-tailed rake (in whose family the mesos have sometimes been placed).The species has a long beak and curved down that distinguishes it from the other members of his family.Both sexes have the plumage of their grayish upper parts and present a fine white superciliary list.They have white undersides,males present black specks in the shape of a full moon on both sides of the neck and upper chest.The females,on the other hand,have reddish brown spots,which sometimes fade into a rufous general tone,and present a cinnamon list on the cheeks.It is restricted in a small sub-desert region of south-western Madagascar,dominated by thorn bushes,with heights between sea level and 130 meters.It feeds on invertebrates,seeds and fruits that it hunts by stinging in the ground and digging at a shallow depth.Its nest is a platform of twigs located about 2 meters above the ground on a hawthorn.They usually put one or two eggs.Incubation and care of chicks is a task shared by both sexes.They can be polygamous or polyandric.Although its area of ​​distribution is extremely small,its population can be dense.It is listed as vulnerable by IUCN due to the degradation of its habitat,which has no official protection,and hunting.