- Illadopsis cleaveri
Alternative names: Black-capped Illadopsis; Blackcap Thrush-Babbler; Blackcap Akalat
Identification
15 - 16cm.
- Distinctive black cap and long pale eyebrow
- Mantle, wings and tail rufous-brown (with darker tail)
- Throat and breast whitish, fading into light rufous on vent
- Dark ear-coverts
Distribution
Found in Africa from Sierra Leone east over Liberia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Benin, Nigeria and Cameroon to Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of Congo and on Bioko.
Fairly common in its range.
Taxonomy
There are 5 subspecies:
- I. c. johnsoni in Sierra Leone and Liberia
- I. c. cleaveri in Ghana
- I. c. marchanti in Benin and south Nigeria
- I. c. batesi in Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of Congo
- I. c. poensis on Bioko Island
Habitat
Dense undergrowth of primary and mature secondary forest. Also in logged forest, forest-shrub and sometimes coffee groves. Up to 1500m in Liberia and 1850m in Cameroon.
Behaviour
Feeds on invertebrates.
Usually seen singly or in pairs, rarely in groups. Joins birdwaves and follows driver-ant columns.
Forages on or near the ground.
Breeding season all year in Cameroon, May to November in Liberia, January to February in Ivory Coast. The nest is a large loose shallow cupe made of dead leaves. It's placed on ground under a bush or in low undergrowth. Lays 2 eggs.
Resident species.
References
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2007. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 12: Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553422
- Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Blackcap Illadopsis. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 7 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Blackcap_Illadopsis
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.
