Red-tailed leaflove

The red-tailed leaflove (Phyllastrephus scandens) is a species of leaflove in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae. It is mainly native to the African tropical rainforest.

Red-tailed leaflove
Red-tailed leaflove at Ho West, Ghana
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Pycnonotidae
Genus:	Phyllastrephus
Species:	P. scandens
Binomial name
Phyllastrephus scandens Swainson, 1837
Synonyms
Pyrrhurus scandens

Taxonomy and systematics

Although originally described in the genus Phyllastrephus, the red-tailed leaflove was briefly transferred to the former genus Pyrrhurus (now subsumed into Phyllastrephus) during the period 2009-2010 by the IOC. Some other authorities continue to classify the red-tailed leaflove in the genus Pyrrhurus. Alternate names for the red-tailed leaflove include the African leaflove, common leaflove, leaflove and plain leaflove.^[2]

Subspecies

Two subspecies are recognized:^[3]

• Uele leaflove (P. s. scandens) - Swainson, 1837: Found from Gambia and Senegal to northern Cameroon
• Gabon leaflove (P. s. orientalis) - (Hartlaub, 1883): Originally described as a separate species in the genus Xenocichla (a synonym for Bleda). Found from northern Cameroon to southern Sudan, central Uganda, western Tanzania and southern Democratic Republic of the Congo

Distribution and habitat

The red-tailed leaflove is found across western and central Africa. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and moist savanna.