Abstract

The Ethiopian bush-crow and white-tailed swallow occupy a restricted-range in the Borana Zone of Ethiopia, inhabiting little more than 6,000km sq. of unremarkable Acacia grassland. The bush-crow’s range is accurately described by a modelled climate envelope of cooler, drier conditions than the surrounding land. The swallow’s range is less well defined, but it’s known distribution roughly matches the bush-crow’s bubble. I am investigating the drivers of their range-restriction, using fine-scale temperature and on the ground habitat data to model their distributions, and investigating the effects of temperature on the swallow’s nesting success and the bush-crow’s foraging behaviour. In the face of impending climatic change, understanding their complex and unusual biology may provide the key to unlocking their requirements for long-term survival in their climatic lifeboat in southern Ethiopia.