Leucopeza semperi

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Archosauromorpha
Cladus: Crurotarsi
Divisio: Archosauria
Cladus: Avemetatarsalia
Cladus: Ornithodira
Subtaxon: Dinosauromorpha
Cladus: Dinosauriformes
Cladus: Dracohors
Cladus: Dinosauria
Ordo: Saurischia
Cladus: Eusaurischia
Subordo: Theropoda
Cladus: Neotheropoda
Cladus: Averostra
Cladus: Tetanurae
Cladus: Avetheropoda
Cladus: Coelurosauria
Cladus: Tyrannoraptora
Cladus: Maniraptoromorpha
Cladus: Maniraptoriformes
Cladus: Maniraptora
Cladus: Pennaraptora
Cladus: Paraves
Cladus: Eumaniraptora
Cladus: Avialae
Infraclassis: Aves
Cladus: Euavialae
Cladus: Avebrevicauda
Cladus: Pygostylia
Cladus: Ornithothoraces
Cladus: Ornithuromorpha
Cladus: Carinatae
Parvclassis: Neornithes
Cohors: Neognathae
Cladus: Neoaves
Cladus: Telluraves
Cladus: Australaves
Ordo: Passeriformes
Subordo: Passeri
Infraordo: Passerida
Superfamilia: Passeroidea

Familia: Parulidae
Genus: Leucopeza
Species: Leucopeza semperi
Name

Leucopeza semperi P.L. Sclater, 1876
References

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1876. p. 14
IUCN: Leucopeza semperi (Critically Endangered)

Vernacular names
Cymraeg: Telor Semper
Deutsch: Blassfußwaldsänger
English: Semper's Warbler
Esperanto: Sempera parulio
español: Reinita de Semper
eesti: Tuhksäälik
suomi: Saintluciankerttuli
français: Paruline pied-blanc
magyar: Semrer-poszáta
Nederlands: Sempers zanger
русский: Бледноногий певун
svenska: semperskogssångare
中文: 淡腳森鶯

Semper's warbler (Leucopeza semperi) is an extremely rare or possibly extinct New World warbler which is endemic to Saint Lucia, part of the Lesser Antilles.

The common name and Latin binomial name commemorate Reverend John E. Semper, an amateur ornithologist who lived in St. Lucia.[3]

Description

The bird is about 14.5 centimetres in length. The plumage of the adults is dark gray at the upperparts and greyish white at the underparts. The immatures are brownish-grey above and have buffish underparts, and the long legs are pale yellow. The call consists of tuck-tick-tick-tuck noises.
Distribution and habitat

Semper's warbler is endemic to Saint Lucia.[4] It lives in the undisturbed undergrowth of lower montane rainforests and elfin woodlands.[4]
Ecology and behavior

Nothing is known about its ecology but it is probably a ground-nesting bird.
Status

It was rather abundant in the 19th century but there are only a few reports of this species in the 20th century. According to West Indian ornithologist James Bond, it was last collected on the summit of Piton Flores in 1934, another report was from March 1947 where it was sighted between the Piton Lacombe and the Piton Canaries.[5] The last reliable sighting was in 1961. Though unconfirmed sightings were in 1965, 1972, 1989, 1995 and 2003 there is a weak hope for a rediscovery because suitable habitat still remains. A cause for its decline was probably the introduction of mongooses. Due to its possibly ground-nesting habits it was an easy prey for the mongooses. Another cause might be habitat destruction.
References

BirdLife International (2020). "Leucopeza semperi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T22721873A180049729. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T22721873A180049729.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
Sclater, P.L. (1876). "On some additional species of birds from St. Lucia, West Indies". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London: 13–14 [14].
Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael (2003). Whose Bird? Men and Women Commemorated in the Common Names of Birds. London: Christopher Helm. p. 307.
Curson, Jon; Quinn, David; Beadle, David (1995). New World Warblers. London: Christopher Helm. p. 186. ISBN 0-7136-3932-6.

Greenway, James (1967): Extinct and Vanishing Birds of the World

External links

BirdLife International (2006) Species factsheet: Leucopeza semperi. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 25 October 2006