From Opus

Revision as of 11:35, 17 March 2008

Campephaga flava

Photo by megan perkins

Photo by Alan Manson
Location: Weenen Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, South Africa

Identification

Length 19-22 cm, mass 32 g.

Adult male: Plumage, bill, eyes and legs are black. The gape is bright orange and the tail is rounded. Some males have a yellow patch on the carpal joint.

Adult female: Upper parts olive, finely barred black. Tail brown and yellow, wings with yellow and blackish markings. Under parts white, finely scalloped black.

Call: A high-pitched trill.

Distribution

Africa: Woodland regions south of the Equator, extending northwards in eastern Africa to southern Somalia, southern Kenya, Uganda and southern Sudan.

Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species. It has in the past been considered conspecific with Petit's Cuckoo-shrike.

Habitat

Woodlands and forest margins.

Behaviour

Either resident or local migrant. Generally solitary or in pairs. Usually quiet and inconspicuous as they glean mainly insects from leaves, twigs and bark. Also occasionally eats fruit.

Breeding: Monogamous and territorial. The nest is a shallow cup built using moss, lichen and spider web. One to three eggs are laid September to February (in southern Africa).

References

Hockey PAR, Dean WRJ & Ryan PG (eds) 2005. Robert's Birds of Southern Africa, 7th edition. John Voelcker Bird Book Fund, Cape Town, South Africa. ISBN 0620340533

Lepage D. 2008. Avibase. Search for "Campephaga flava" downloaded March 2008.

Sinclair I & Ryan PG 2003. Birds of Africa South of the Sahara. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa. ISBN 0691118154

External Links