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==Identification== | ==Identification== | ||
18-19 cm (7-7½ in)<br /> | 18-19 cm (7-7½ in)<br /> | ||
| − | A [[Dictionary_P-S#P| | + | A [[Dictionary_P-S#P|polymorphic]] species, all of which have green upperparts, grey crown and upper back, yellow tipped tail, dark bill and legs. The males occur in four colour morphs, the females in three. |
*'''Yellow morph''': black mask and forehead, yellow underparts, tinged golden on breast, dark grey crown and dark green upperparts | *'''Yellow morph''': black mask and forehead, yellow underparts, tinged golden on breast, dark grey crown and dark green upperparts | ||
*'''Red morph''': similar, but has orange-red throat and breast, yellow belly and undertail coverts | *'''Red morph''': similar, but has orange-red throat and breast, yellow belly and undertail coverts | ||
Revision as of 09:53, 18 August 2016
- Chlorophoneus nigrifrons
Telophorus nigrifrons
Identification
18-19 cm (7-7½ in)
A polymorphic species, all of which have green upperparts, grey crown and upper back, yellow tipped tail, dark bill and legs. The males occur in four colour morphs, the females in three.
- Yellow morph: black mask and forehead, yellow underparts, tinged golden on breast, dark grey crown and dark green upperparts
- Red morph: similar, but has orange-red throat and breast, yellow belly and undertail coverts
- Buff morph: pale cinnamon-buff underparts, pale throat, greenish-grey flanks and undertail coverts
- Black morph: entirely black face, forehead, throat and breast, green belly and undertail coverts
Female: duller than the males; less black on the forehead
Juvenile: buffy underparts with dark barring, yellow edges to the wing-feathers
Similar species
Ruddy morph Olive Bushshrike is similar to the buff morph, but does not have a black forehead. Orange-breasted Bushshrike and Many-coloured Bushshrike have pale eyebrows.
Distribution
Africa
Western Africa: Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola
Eastern Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi
Southern Africa: Zimbabwe, South Africa
Taxonomy
Subspecies
There are three subspecies:[1]
- C. n. nigrifrons:
- C. n. manningi:
- South-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo to northern Zambia and possibly eastern Angola
- C. n. sandgroundi:
- South-eastern Malawi to Zimbabwe, Mozambique and north-eastern South Africa
Habitat
Montane forest canopy above 2,300 m. Also found at lower elevations in evergreen riverine forests and along lowland escarpments.
Behaviour
Diet
They forage in the middle and upper stories of tall trees, for insects such as wasps, grasshoppers, beetles and caterpillars, as well as other invertebrates. Feeds in pairs or solitary, and will sometimes join mixed species flocks. Also hawks insects like a flycatcher.
Breeding
Breeding territories are maintained year round. Breeding seasons vary from country to country, e.g. February in Tanzania, October-March in Zambia and November-February in Zimbabwe.
The nest is probably built by both birds. It is a shallow, flimsy saucer high up (20-30 m) and hidden in dense foliage or creepers. The eggs (usually two are laid) are pale green with brown, grey and mauve markings.
The young are thought to be fed by both parents. There are no details on incubation or fledging times.
Vocalisation
- Male: a low pitched series of whistles - hoi, hou or quoh, repeated up to 20 times in a few seconds. Also a soft, melodious, liquid woo-hah, and a short, rapid hohoho, which is repeated 3 times in 8 seconds and similar to the call of a Eurasian Hoopoe.
- Female: a dry, rasping call which increases in volume from start to end.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2015. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2015, with updates to August 2015. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- 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
- Sinclair, I and P Ryan. 2003. Birds of Africa South of the Sahara. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0691118154
- Avibase
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved July 2016)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Black-fronted Bushshrike. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 25 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Black-fronted_Bushshrike
