The pygmy batis (Batis perkeo) is a very small insectivorous bird which finds its food foraging among leaves, it is a member of the wattle-eyes family, the Platysteiridae. It occurs in the dry savannahs of north-eastern Africa.
The pygmy batis, as its name suggests, is a tiny, rather dumpy but dapper black, white and grey bird with similarities to the flycatchers. The male has a bluish-grey head and back with a contrasting black face mask and short white supercilium above the yellow eye. The rump and lower back are spotted with white and the rump feathers are relatively long giving a fluffy appearance. It has black wings which have a broad white strip formed by the broad white edges to feathers of the median and greater coverts, and the inner secondaries and tertials. The tail is black but the outer tail feathers have white edges and tips. The underparts are white, broken with a narrow black breast band. The females are similar to the males but have a pale rufous-buff breast band and chin and the face mask, supercilium and wing stripe are buffy brown. The bill and legs are black.[3] The pygmy batis has a body length of 8–9 cm (3.1–3.5 in) and a weight of 5–9 g (0.18–0.32 oz).[4]
Voiceedit
The main call of the pygmy batis is a ling series of repeated sharp high pitched whistles.[3]
The preferred habitat is scrub made up of Senegalia spp, Commiphora spp and other "thorn" species in arid and semi-arid lowlands with rainfall falling between 250 and 500 mm (9.8 and 19.7 in) per year. Also found in wooded and bushy grassland, but avoids riverine forest.[3]
Habitsedit
The pygmy batis is an active, arboreal bird which lives in pairs or small family groups. Its habits are considered to be likely to be similar to other savannah batises. They feed mainly within the foliage and glean most of their insect prey from leaves and twigs, with a small proportion taken on the wing. It will join other bird species in mixed foraging parties. The breeding biology is almost unknown but egg laying probably occurs in February and March.[3]
Referencesedit
^BirdLife International (2016). "Batis perkeo". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22707897A94141057. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22707897A94141057.en. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
^"Batis perkeo Reichenow, 1903". Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) (https://www.itis.gov). from the original on 2016-11-06. Retrieved 2016-11-05.
^ abcdHarris, Tony; Franklin, Kim (2000). Shrikes and Bush-shrikes. Christopher Helm. pp. 307–309. ISBN0-7136-3861-3.
^ ab"Pygmy Batis (Batis perkeo)". Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions. from the original on 2016-11-05. Retrieved 2016-11-05.
May 12, 2024
pygmy, batis, pygmy, batis, batis, perkeo, very, small, insectivorous, bird, which, finds, food, foraging, among, leaves, member, wattle, eyes, family, platysteiridae, occurs, savannahs, north, eastern, africa, conservation, status, least, concern, iucn, scien. The pygmy batis Batis perkeo is a very small insectivorous bird which finds its food foraging among leaves it is a member of the wattle eyes family the Platysteiridae It occurs in the dry savannahs of north eastern Africa Pygmy batis Conservation status Least Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Aves Order Passeriformes Family Platysteiridae Genus Batis Species B perkeo Binomial name Batis perkeoNeumann 1907 2 Contents 1 Description 1 1 Voice 2 Distribution and habitat 3 Habits 4 ReferencesDescription editThe pygmy batis as its name suggests is a tiny rather dumpy but dapper black white and grey bird with similarities to the flycatchers The male has a bluish grey head and back with a contrasting black face mask and short white supercilium above the yellow eye The rump and lower back are spotted with white and the rump feathers are relatively long giving a fluffy appearance It has black wings which have a broad white strip formed by the broad white edges to feathers of the median and greater coverts and the inner secondaries and tertials The tail is black but the outer tail feathers have white edges and tips The underparts are white broken with a narrow black breast band The females are similar to the males but have a pale rufous buff breast band and chin and the face mask supercilium and wing stripe are buffy brown The bill and legs are black 3 The pygmy batis has a body length of 8 9 cm 3 1 3 5 in and a weight of 5 9 g 0 18 0 32 oz 4 Voice edit The main call of the pygmy batis is a ling series of repeated sharp high pitched whistles 3 Distribution and habitat editThe pygmy batis occurs in southern Ethiopia extreme south eastern South Sudan southern Somalia eastern Uganda inland Kenya and north eastern Tanzania 4 The preferred habitat is scrub made up of Senegalia spp Commiphora spp and other thorn species in arid and semi arid lowlands with rainfall falling between 250 and 500 mm 9 8 and 19 7 in per year Also found in wooded and bushy grassland but avoids riverine forest 3 Habits editThe pygmy batis is an active arboreal bird which lives in pairs or small family groups Its habits are considered to be likely to be similar to other savannah batises They feed mainly within the foliage and glean most of their insect prey from leaves and twigs with a small proportion taken on the wing It will join other bird species in mixed foraging parties The breeding biology is almost unknown but egg laying probably occurs in February and March 3 References edit BirdLife International 2016 Batis perkeo IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016 e T22707897A94141057 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2016 3 RLTS T22707897A94141057 en Retrieved 11 November 2021 Batis perkeo Reichenow 1903 Integrated Taxonomic Information System ITIS https www itis gov Archived from the original on 2016 11 06 Retrieved 2016 11 05 a b c d Harris Tony Franklin Kim 2000 Shrikes and Bush shrikes Christopher Helm pp 307 309 ISBN 0 7136 3861 3 a b Pygmy Batis Batis perkeo Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive Lynx Edicions Archived from the original on 2016 11 05 Retrieved 2016 11 05 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Pygmy batis amp oldid 1181653451, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
