Alternative names: Bicoloured Babbler; Pied Babbler
- Turdoides bicolor
Identification
Length 26 cm, mass 72-84 g.
- White plumage with brownish-black wings and black tail
- Black bill and feet
- Reddish-orange to orange-yellow eyes.
Distribution
Botswana, northern Namibia, northern South Africa, southern and eastern Zimbabwe and southwest Mozambique.
Locally common.
Taxonomy
Monotypic.
Habitat
Dry savanna, often with abundance of corkwood.
Behaviour
Sociable; usually in groups of 6-10 birds year-round.
They are terrestrial, foraging mainly on the ground. The diet includes small invertebrates, although occasionally fruits and larger prey items such as lizards and scorpions are taken.
All group members cooperate to help raise the young from a single clutch and up to three successful clutches can be raised per breeding season. Average incubation time is 14 days, and average time between hatching and fledging is 16 days. 2 - 5 eggs are laid.
Resident species although groups can wander around in responce to local conditions.
References
- 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
- 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. (2021) Southern Pied Babbler. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 13 May 2021 from https://www.birdforum.net/wiki/Southern_Pied_Babbler
