White-spotted Wattle-eye

Dyaphorophyia tonsa

A pied wattle-eye of lowland forests. Males are white below with an iridescent black belt. Overall iridescent black above except for the white spot over the eye, the white sides of the neck, and the white rump. Males also have purplish eye wattles that are larger above the eye than below the eye. Females are decidedly different, with reddish-brown throats, wings and backs, gray faces, limited white above the eye, a black crown, and a purplish eye-ring. Both sexes are similar to Chestnut Wattle-eye, but note White-spotted Wattle-eye’s white spots above the eye and the more extensive white on the neck of the males. Call is a hollow “pwoo,” sometimes doubled, given repeatedly about every half second. Also gives shorter “rick rick rick” calls like other wattle-eyes. 

Identification

The white-spotted wattle-eye (Dyaphorophyia tonsa) is a species of bird in the wattle-eye family Platysteiridae. It is found in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Nigeria. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.

Taxonomy

Genus: Dyaphorophyia; Family: Platysteiridae; Order: Passeriformes.

Scientific name
Dyaphorophyia tonsa
Authority
(Bates, GL, 1911)
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Platysteiridae
Genus
Dyaphorophyia

Range and habitat

Migration
Resident species

Behavior

Migration pattern: Resident species.

Conservation

Population trend: stable.

Population trend
stable

Photos

Distribution

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