East Coast Akalat - BirdForum Opus

Photo © by the_kenyanbirder
Arabuko Sokoke forest, Kenya, May 2019

Sheppardia gunningi

Identification

11-12cm (4¼-4¾ in)

• Brown above
• Orange throat and breast
• White flanks and belly
• Pale blue wing coverts
• White loral spot

Distribution

Eastern Africa: foundin Kenya, Tanzania, Zanzibar Archipelago, Mozambique and Malawi.

Taxonomy

Subspecies

There are 4 subspecies^[1]:

• S. g. sokokensis:

• Coastal and riverine forests of south-eastern Kenya to eastern Tanzania

• S. g. alticola:

• Eastern Tanzania (Nguu Mountains)

• S. g. bensoni:

• Lowlands of north-western Malawi

• S. g. gunningi:

• South-eastern Mozambique

Habitat

Damp forests in mountainous areas, dry forest near coasts.

Behaviour

Diet

The diet includes insects, some berries and seeds.

References

1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2019. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World: v2019. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
2. Avibase
3. BirdLife International.

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) East Coast Akalat. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 18 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/East_Coast_Akalat

External Links

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