Black-faced Babbler

Turdoides melanops

Dull brownish babbler with a pale eye. Found very locally in areas of thick mixed savanna. Almost always in small groups, which feed by hopping across the ground. Raucous babbling call is frequently given, usually by a whole group in chorus. Similar in shape, size, and overall brown coloration to Arrow-marked Babbler, but easily separated by pale eyes, black lores, and broad and messy markings below. Also easily separated from Hartlaub’s Babbler by the white eye and dark rump.

Identification

Black-faced babblers are 21 to 25 cm (8 to 10 inches) long. Birds are largely grayish brown with geographically and individually variable white mottling, especially below. The combination of pale yellow or white eyes and black lores (the areas between the eye and the bill) separates this species from similar babblers, though all juvenile babblers have brown eyes.<p>The calls are described as "A nasal 'wha-wha-wha' and a harsh, fast 'papapapa'."

Taxonomy

Genus: Turdoides; Family: Leiothrichidae; Order: Passeriformes.

Scientific name
Turdoides melanops
Authority
(Hartlaub, 1867)
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Leiothrichidae
Genus
Turdoides

Range and habitat

Migration
Resident species

Behavior

Migration pattern: Resident species.

Conservation

Population trend: declining.

Population trend
declining

Photos

Distribution

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