Grey-necked Rockfowl - Distribution and Habitat

Distribution and Habitat

The Grey-necked Rockfowl is found in West Africa from southeast Nigeria to southwest Gabon. In Nigeria, it is only found in the nation's southeastern corner near the coast and the Cameroon border. The species is widespread in southwestern Cameroon, and this country is considered to be the species' stronghold. It is found throughout Equatorial Guinea and into southwestern Gabon. Additionally, the species resides in the southwestern forests of the island of Bioko in the Gulf of Guinea. There is only one record of this species from the Republic of the Congo, though it is suspected that the rockfowl may have an undiscovered population in this country. The Grey-necked Rockfowl's total range covers approximately 314,000 square kilometres (121,000 sq mi).

It is found in undisturbed rain forests with closed canopies. The Grey-necked Rockfowl prefers rugged terrain in these forests covered in large boulders, caves, and gorges. Additionally, it often found near inselbergs and a source of water, either a river or a forest pool. The understory of its forests has sparse undergrowth or open spaces but is covered in mosses, ferns, lianas, and epiphytes. In southwestern Bioko it is found in low forests that receive nearly 10 metres (33 ft) of rain a year. Bioko's habitat also has dense undergrowth and vertical gorges near a caldera. The rockfowl's habitat is normally found between 450 and 2,100 metres (1,480 and 6,900 ft) above sea level, though it is lower in elevation on Bioko. This species is non-migratory, and at one site in Cameroon the birds remained within 300 metres (980 ft) of their nesting site throughout the year. It is capable of living near human activity, and one breeding site in Cameroon was located within 30 metres (98 ft) of a maize plot. This and other recent observations suggest that the rockfowl has greater tolerance for degraded habitat than previously thought.