• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Distribution map
• Climate Change maps
• Reference and further resources

Justification of Red List category
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (extent of occurrence <20,000 km² combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population size has not been quantified, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure).  The population trend is not known, but the population is not believed to be decreasing sufficiently rapidly to approach the thresholds under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations).  For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Population justification
The population size is unknown, however the species has a large range and it is now considered to be common in south-west Ghana, where it has a wide distribution (F. Dowsett-Lemaire in litt. 2013). Given its wide distribution in Ghana, it is also likely to be widespread across the border in Côte d’Ivoire (F. Dowsett-Lemaire in litt. 2013).

Fraseria tessmanni is found in West Africa where it is known from Sierra Leone; Liberia; Côte d'Ivoire; Ghana; Nigeria, from which there have been no recent records (Elgood et al. 1994); Cameroon; the Democratic Republic of Congo, and mainland Equatorial Guinea (Dowsett 1993). The population size is unknown, however the species has a large range and it is now considered to be common in south-west Ghana, where it has a wide distribution, e.g. in Bia National Park, Dunkwa and Bibiani Districts and Tano Ofin (Dowsett-Lemaire and Dowsett 2005, 2009, 2011). Given its wide distribution in Ghana, it is also likely to be widespread across the border in Côte d’Ivoire (F. Dowsett-Lemaire in litt. 2013).  It has possibly been overlooked owing to its similarities with Dusky-blue Flycatcher Bradornis comitatus, the two species often occurring together, although F. tessmanni has a more restricted range and is much less common (Holbech 1996, F. Dowsett-Lemaire and R. Dowsett in litt. 2007).

It occupies mid-levels of forest edge and small gaps in primary forest (Dowsett-Lemaire and Dowsett 1999a, 2000a), with a record from thicket on the edge of a small swamp in a large area of intact forest (F. Dowsett-Lemaire and R. Dowsett in litt. 1998, F. Dowsett-Lemaire in litt. 2010). It has never reliably been recorded far from areas of primary forest (F. Dowsett-Lemaire and R. Dowsett in litt. 2007); although there are unconfirmed reports of the species from a large Raphia swamp (Holbech 1996) and disturbed secondary growth (H. Rainey in litt. 1999), these could feasibly refer to M. comitata (Butchart 2007).

With conversion of forest to more intensive farms and plantations, small populations could be disappearing throughout its range (M. Gartshore in litt. 1999).

Conservation Actions Underway
It has been recorded in a number of protected areas.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Conduct surveys in forest at different degrees of perturbation to determine its abundance and status in degraded forest. Protect large areas of forest at sites where it is known to be not uncommon.

Text account compilers
Taylor, J., Mahood, S., Shutes, S., Starkey, M., Butchart, S., Bird, J., Westrip, J., Wheatley, H.

Contributors
Sharpe, C.J., Hogberg, S., Dowsett-Lemaire, F., Dowsett, R.J., Rainey, H.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Tessmann's Flycatcher Fraseria tessmanni. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/tessmanns-flycatcher-fraseria-tessmanni on 23/12/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 23/12/2024.