Newsletter / Blog
2012-01-22 Aves Bird of the week - Bar-throated Apalis – Apalis thoracica
The Bar-throated Apalis – Apalis thoracica - inhabits forest and scrub
from South Africa to Kenya. It is
common across much of Zimbabwe,
central Mozambique,
south-eastern Botswana and South Africa, preferring evergreen forest,
valley bushveld, woodland along drainage lines in the Karoo
and scrub around sand dunes.
Description
The upperparts
can be grey or green while the underparts are white or pale yellow. All forms
have a narrow black band across the breast, white outer tail-feathers and a
pale eye. The black bill is fairly long and slender and is slightly curved.
Females are similar to males but have a narrower breastband. Young birds have
buffer underparts and may have an incomplete breastband.
Call
It’s call is a
sharp, rapid, often repeated “pillip-pillip-pillip”. Pairs sing a duetting song
with the female's call being higher-pitched than that of the male.
Food
This species
forages for insects often in mixed flocks. It mainly eats invertebrates gleaned
from leaves and twigs, supplemented with fruit.
Breeding
The breeding season
is from August to March. An oval, purse-shaped nest is built, mainly of plant
material. It lays 2 to 4 eggs which are bluish white with reddish-brown spots. They
are incubated by both sexes for between 14 to18 days. The young are fed by both
parents and leave the nest after about 13 to 18 days.
Conservation Status – Least Concern
The population is
suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or
substantial threats. Not threatened.
Birdwatching
These birds can
be seen on the following Aves Birding Tours/Safaris/Adventures: -
Aves Eastern Cape Birding
Tour / Safari / Adventure.
Aves Highlands / Tembe Birding Tour / Safari /
Adventure.
Aves KZN Birding
Tour / Safari / Adventure.
Aves North East
Birding Tour / Safari / Adventure.
Aves Western Cape Birding
Tour / Safari / Adventure.
Aves West Coast
Birding Tour / Safari / Adventure.
Birding Hotspots
Harold Porter
Botanical Gardens
Bontebok National Park
Mount Sheba Nature Reserve
Kaapsehoop
The Soutpansberg Range
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