- Turdoides tenebrosa
Identification
With 24 - 26cm a medium-sized Turdoides-babbler:
- Longish bill
- White-eye
- Blackish lores
- Blackish wings and tail
- Pale-scaled blackish-brown breast
Distribution
Found in Central Africa from the Central African Republic to southern Sudan, southwest Ethiopia, northwest Uganda and northeast Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Resident species, not very common in most of its range.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[1].
Former scientific name tenebrosus.
Has been considered to form a superspecies or to be conspecific with Black-lored Babbler and Blackcap Babbler.
Habitat
Moist shrubland.
Behaviour
A shy and secretive bird, usually seen in pairs or small groups.
Diet
Feeds on invertebrates and takes also fruit.
Breeding
Breeding season April and July in Sudan, December in Democratic Republic of Congo and February to April and June in Uguanda. The nest is a deep cup made of dried leaves and grasses. It's placed 1 to 2 m high in thick cover with creepers. Lays 2 - 3 eggs.
References
- Clements, JF. 2011. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to August 2011. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
- 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
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Dusky Babbler. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 25 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Dusky_Babbler
