Highly skewed sex ratios in the critically endangered Taita thrush as revealed by CHD genes

The study of sex-ratio patterns in threatened bird species has yielded cruc ial information with regard to their conservation and management. In the ca se of sexually monomorphic species, i.e. species that cannot be sexed by th eir appearance, DNA-based sexing techniques are increasingly applied. We pr esent data on the sexing of adult Taita thrushes, a critically endangered f orest endemic from southeast Kenya. In addition to describing a morphometri c trait that can be used to sex individuals directly upon capture, we comme nt on a remarkable skew in sex ratio that might have important consequences for the long-term survival of the species.