Rufous-eared Warbler - BirdForum Opus

Malcorus pectoralis

Photo by Alastair Rae
Namibia

Identification

Length 14-16 cm, mass 8-12 g. Prinia-like; has a very long, thin tail.

The streaked, non-rufous crown contrasts with reddish ear coverts (this distinguishes it from other southern African warblers). Underparts are white with buffy flanks and a narrow, black breast band.

Distribution

Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa.

Taxonomy

Malcorus pectoralis has three subspecies:¹

• M. p. etoshae

• Northern Namibia

• M. p. ocularius

• Southern and central Namibia to southern Botswana and north-central and north-western South Africa

• M. p. pectoralis

• South Africa; west of 28°E and south of about 29°S

Habitat

Dry shrubland and dry shrubby grassland; from desert edge to Karoo and Kalahari.

References

1. 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. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist.
2. 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
3. Sinclair, I and P Ryan. 2003. Birds of Africa South of the Sahara. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0691118154

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Rufous-eared Warbler. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 15 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Rufous-eared_Warbler

External Links

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