Red-backed Mousebird
Colius castanotus
A brownish-gray dumpy-bodied bird with a long scruffy tail, a reddish back, brown ears, a brown crest, and pale eyes. Occurs in small sociable groups in forest edge, woodland, thorn scrub, and cultivated areas along the Angolan escarpment, where it is endemic. One of the most familiar and beloved birds of Angola, where it is known as the “Rabo-de-junco”. Scrambles through bushes and tangles, creeping on short legs. In flight, it appears heavy, fluttering rapidly. Calls include a harsh “chee” and twittering notes like those of Speckled Mousebird, which differs from Red-backed by being lightly barred on the breast and mantle, having a brown back, and in the area of overlap in northern Angola, having dark eyes.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Colius castanotus
- Authority
- Verreaux, J & Verreaux, É, 1855
- Order
- Coliiformes
- Family
- Coliidae
- Genus
- Colius
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Kashmir Nutcracker
Nucifraga multipunctata
A jay-like bird with a long pointed bill, a black cap, and white spots all over. Very similar to Eurasian Nutcracker, but the Kashmir Nutcracker appears whiter overall with more white on the back, underparts, undertail, and tail tips. Forages in conifers for nuts and seeds, occasionally descending to the ground. Calls include loud, harsh “kraaa” notes.
Large-headed Flatbill
Ramphotrigon megacephalum
A small flycatcher that is only found in bamboo patches in the lower levels of humid forests. Olive-green on the back, head and breast, with a distinctive yellow eyebrow wrapping around the eye, and a two-tone broad, flat bill. The belly is pale yellow and the wings are mostly dark but with two prominent cinnamon wingbars and cinnamon edges to the flight feathers. Rarely joins mixed-species flocks. The song is a very distinctive soft whistled “feeww-fuu,” repeated for long periods.
Kikuyu White-eye
Zosterops kikuyuensis
A small, sharp-billed warbler-like bird. Note the olive-green back, the yellow underparts with broad olive flanks, and the very broad white spectacles around the eyes. Found in the highlands of central Kenya, in montane forest, forest edge, exotic tree plantations, and lush gardens and scrub. Usually in hyperactive pairs or flocks. Separated from similar broad-ringed white-eyes by range. Somewhat similar to African Yellow and Pale White-eyes, but found at higher elevations, and eye-ring is much broader. Song is a subdued, chatty sequence of “chew” notes. Calls include a high-pitched rising rattle, chattering notes, and “chew” notes like those from the song.
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