Kingdom Animalia Class Aves Family Platysteiridae Scientific name Batis mixta | Phylum Chordata Order Passeriformes Genus Batis Rank Species | |
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Similar Dark batis, Margaret's batis, Ruwenzori batis, Pygmy batis, Pale batis | ||
The forest batis or short-tailed batis (Batis mixta) is a species of bird in the wattle-eye family, Platysteiridae occurring in eastern Africa.
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Description
The adult male has bluish grey upperparts with a black mask across the face, a white spot on the lores and white spots o the rump which are revealed when the long feathers are fluffed out. The underparts are white with a black breast band and blackish thighs. The wings are black with a white stripe, the bill and legs are black while the eyes are red. Females are similar in pattern but the upper part colour is more olive in tone, the wings more reddish brown and has a mottled rufous breast band and browner wings. Juveniles similar to female but markings less well differentiated. The short black tail is edged with white. It is a small species measuring 9·5–10 cm in length and weighing 10·5–14·2g.
Distribution and habitat
East Africa from the south eastern coast of Kenya and north eastern Tanzania including Mount Kilimanjaro, along the northern Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania, i.e. Nguru, Nguu, Usambara Mountains, Pare and Kilimanjaro, also in coastal south eastern Tanzania.
At sea level found in coastal forest, miombo woodland and in montane forest up to 2300m on Kilimanjaro. It frequents the lower levels of forest and the undergrowth.
Habits
The habits of the forest batis are little known, there have been indications of breeding behaviour in May and June in Kenya, September and October in Tanzania and a single nest with a clutch of 2 eggs has been recorded. Like other batises the largest groups seen are small family groups and pairs are territorial. Calling males make a repetitive, slow series of hu-hu-hu-hu whistles and they puff their white throat feathers out while performing this song.
Taxonomy
Three subspecies are currently recognised subspecies:
B.M. ultima is smaller than the nominate with the make having a narrow white supercilium and a norrower breastband and B.m. reichenow shows a poorly defined chispot and otherwise looks closer to the Cape batis Batis capensis. Genetic studies have shown that reichenowi, which was previously split either as a species in its own right or as a subspecies of Cape batis, nestles within mixta but that the previously lumped dark batis Batis brypta is a separate species.