From Opus

Photo by rudydbn
St. Lucia, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, October 2004

Guttera pucherani

[edit] Identification

Black with pale blue spots. The outer secondaries have creamy-white outer webs, showing as a pale edge on the folded wing. The bare face and upper neck have a varying amount of blue-grey and red colouring. The crest comprises curly black feathers which vary geographically in shape.

[edit] Distribution

Subspecies G. p. pucherani
Photo by Steve G
Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, Coastal Kenya, August 2007

Locally in Sub-Saharan Africa.

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] Subspecies

There are 5 subspecies^[1]:

• G. p. verreauxi:

• Guinea-Bissau to western Kenya, Angola and Zambia

• G. p. sclateri:

• North-western Cameroon

• G. p. pucherani:

• Somalia to Tanzania, Zanzibar and Tumbatu Island

• G. p. barbata:

• South-eastern Tanzania to eastern Mozambique and Malawi

• G. p. edouardi:

• Eastern Zambia to Mozambique and north-eastern South Africa

[edit] Status of edouardi

Some authorities recognize the southern population (south of 12°S) as a separate species, Guttera edouardi.

[edit] Habitat

Humid forest; forest edge, thickets and dense woodland.

[edit] Behaviour

In flocks of up to 20 individuals when not breeding (April to September in southern Africa); split into smaller groups and pairs when breeding. Generally seen on road verges in dense woodland and forest, or at bush camps, where they become habituated to humans.

[edit] Diet

Forages on the ground for seeds, fruit, stems, leaves, bulbs, roots and invertebrates.

[edit] Breeding

Monogamous. The nest is a scrape in the ground in dense cover. Two to twelve eggs are laid October to February.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2010. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2010. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/Clements%206.5.xls/view
2. Hockey, PAR, WRJ Dean, and PG Ryan, eds. 2005. Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa. 7th ed. Cape Town: John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. ISBN 978-0620340533

• List of references

[edit] External Links