Chinspot Batis
Batis molitor
A cute, dumpy, colorful flycatcher-like bird lacking chestnut in the wings. Sexes differ: the male has a broad black chest band and a white throat; the female has a chestnut band and a large chestnut throat spot that gives the species its name. The Chinspot Batis is common in savanna, broadleaf woodland, and edges of montane forest, where it can be found solitarily or in pairs, often joining mixed-species flocks. It flits actively between trees, gleaning and hawking insects. Gives a characteristic downslurred three-note “three-blind-mice” call, which is occasionally accompanied by clicking and bill-snapping.
Identification
The chinspot batis is a rather stout bird 12–13 cm (4.7–5.1 in) in length. It has a black mask on its face, with a short white eyestripe, a grey cap and a white throat. The upperparts are grey with a prominent white wing stripe. The eyes are yellow while the legs and bill are black. The underparts are white with a black breast band in the males, the female has a chestnut breast band and a chestnut spot on the throat. Young birds are similar to females but the breast band and spot on the throat are tawny.
Taxonomy
Genus: Batis; Family: Platysteiridae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Batis molitor
- Authority
- (Küster, 1836)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Platysteiridae
- Genus
- Batis
Range and habitat
It is found in Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Republic of the Congo, DRC, Eswatini, Gabon, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The chinspot batis is found in Savanna woodland, mainly deciduous, including miombo, i.e. Brachystegia woodland, riverine thickets, bushveld and scrub. It can also be found in cultivated habitats such as orchards, farmland, gardens and parks. In the central African mountains it reaches 3,000 m (9,800 ft). Its habitat specificity is greater in the northern parts of its range where there is more competition from other batises.<p>The chinspot batis forms a superspecies with other species of woodland and forest batises, in southern Africa the representatives of this superspecies are the pririt batis, Woodwards's batis, pale batis and Cape batis. Woodwards and Cape batises replace the chinspot batis in forest while the pririt batis and pale batis replace it geographically in arid woodlands to the west (pririt) and humid coastal woodlands to the east (pale).<p>There are currently four recognised subspecies of chinspot batis.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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