Sombre Greenbul
Andropadus importunus
The adult is a uniform drab-olive greenbul, slightly paler on the belly, with striking pale eyes that are characteristic. Juveniles have dark eyes and a small yellow gape. Pairs skulk and can be quite secretive in the midstory and canopy of forest, forest edge, and thickets up to 2000 meters of elevation, foraging on fruits and insects. It is often first detected by its loud, shrill “Willie! …..come out and play with me” song, ending with a nasal “sca-a-ared.” Northern birds sing a different song with a similar quality.
Identification
The sombre greenbul is 15–18 cm long, with mainly dull greyish olive-green plumage, paler on the underparts than above. There are variations in colour based on habitat range. Individuals located in southern Africa tend to be plain, olive-green. To the north, birds are yellower with greener upper parts. It has a white iris. The sexes are similar in plumage, but juveniles are even duller than the adult and have dark, grey eyes. There is no colour distinction among sexes. The subspecies A. i. hypoxanthus is much yellower below than the nominate subspecies.<p>The sombre greenbul is a vocal species, and the most typical call is a monotonous, ringing phrase starting with a penetrating single whistle weeeewee, followed by a jumbled chortle and ending off with a rather plaintive, drawn-out whistle willy. If agitated, a call of peeet peeet peeet repeatedly is likely to be heard.
Taxonomy
Eighteen species of greenbuls originally described in the genus Andropadus were re-classified to the genera Arizelocichla, Stelgidillas and Eurillas in 2010. This has left Andropadus as a monotypic genus with the sombre greenbul remaining as its sole extant species.<p>The sombre greenbul was originally described in the genus Turdus and was later re-classified to the genus Andropadus. Alternatively, some authorities classify the sombre greenbul in the genus Pycnonotus. Alternate names for the sombre greenbul include the sombre bulbul, southern sombre bulbul and southern sombre greenbul.<p>Four subspecies of the sombre greenbul are recognized:<p>Formerly, some authorities also considered the following species (or subspecies) as species within the genus Andropadus:
- Scientific name
- Andropadus importunus
- Authority
- (Vieillot, 1818)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Pycnonotidae
- Genus
- Andropadus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The sombre greenbul is a common bird, which tends to stay hidden in foliage and is more often heard than seen. It is usually found in pairs or small groups foraging for insects, fruit and small snails.
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Lemon-breasted Seedeater
Crithagra citrinipectus
A small gray-brown seedeater with a lemon-yellow rump, white tail tips, and a boldly marked face with pale patches (white to lemon-yellow) above and below the eye. The throat and upper breast are lemon-yellow in the male and buff in the female. Pairs and small flocks occupy savanna, grassland, and palm savanna, where the species is partial to Ilala Palm. It forages on the ground and in small shrubs and grass. The similar Yellow-fronted Canary is yellower, has a broader eyebrow, and lacks wingbars and the vertical dark stripe below the eye.
Ruddy Foliage-gleaner
Clibanornis rubiginosus
Skulking and elusive rusty-brown bird of humid evergreen and pine-evergreen forest in highlands and foothills; heard much more often than seen. Typically stays well hidden, clambering in understory and dense second growth, often near gullies and earthen banks, where it digs a nest burrow; at times forages on the ground. Note the stout bill, pale eyering, and rich rusty throat and breast.
Barratt's Warbler
Bradypterus barratti
A skulky, dull brown warbler with a long and graduated tail, a pale grayish eyebrow, and a throat that is lightly streaked. It creeps around mouse-like in thick undergrowth and tangles in forest and forest edge. It is also found in isolated pockets of scrub, often adjacent to streams, and is frequently detected and identified by its song, mostly delivered between September and December: 2-3 sweet “tsiit” notes followed by a loud trill of 15-20 harsh “tchui” notes. It also has a strident chipping alarm call “tddd-ddr-ddr-ddr-ddr-tt.” The similar Knysna Warbler differs from Barratt’s Warbler by its shorter tail, darker underparts, less pronounced throat streaking, and different song.
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