A new species of firefinch Lagonosticta from northern Nigeria and its association with the Jos Plateau Indigobird Vidua maryae

A firefinch of the Jos Plateau, northern Nigeria, is described as a new species, Rock Fire-finch Lagonosticta sanguinodorsalis. This firefinch has distinctive songs and a distinctive habitat—bushy and grassy rocky outcrops on the plateau and inselbergs to the north and east. It has a blue-grey bill, red back in the male and reddish brown back in the female and juvenile and broad primaries in both the adult and juvenile. It appears most closely related to the Mali Firefinch Lagonosticta virata and the Chad Firefinch Lagonosticta umbrinodorsalis. Its songs are mimicked by the brood-parasitic Jos Plateau Indigobird Vidua maryae , which occurs within the range of the firefinch and whose songs led to the discovery of the firefinch. The songs of the firefinch, the song mimicry of the indigobird and the apparent continuity of song mimicry across 27 years indicate a unique association of this distinct pair of species.