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Red-faced Mousebird

A species of Red-billed Mousebirds, Also known as Red-faced Coly
Scientific name : Urocolius indicus Genus : Red-billed Mousebirds

Red-faced Mousebird, A species of Red-billed Mousebirds
Also known as:
Red-faced Coly
Botanical name: Urocolius indicus
Genus: Red-billed Mousebirds
Red-faced Mousebird (Urocolius indicus) Photo By Derek Keats , used under CC-BY-SA-2.0 /Cropped and compressed from original

Description

The red-faced mousebird (Urocolius indicus) is a species of mousebird or coly. It is a common in southern Africa from Zaire, Zambia and Tanzania south to the Cape. Its habitat is savanna with thickets, fynbos scrub, other open woodland, gardens and orchards. This bird is about 34 cm (13 inches) long, with the tail comprising approximately half the length. The crested head and breast are pale cinnamon with a red bill and eye mask. The rest of the upperparts and tail are blue-grey apart from a paler grey rump. The belly is whitish. The sexes are similar, but juveniles lack the crest and have a green mask. Their call is tree-ree-ree whistle, and regularly called in multiple repetitions. Red-faced mousebirds make the same call whether in-flight or perched. The red-faced mousebird is a frugivore which subsists on fruits, berries, leaves, seeds and nectar. Its flight is typically fast, strong and direct from one feeding area to another. This is a social bird outside the breeding season, feeding together in small groups, normally of about half a dozen birds, but sometimes up to 15 or more. They fly and interact in tight collections. It engages in mutual preening and roosts in groups at night. It is more wary than other mousebirds. These sedentary birds breed between June to February. The nest is a large untidy cup of plant material lined with material such as sheep wool. The clutch is 2-6 eggs which hatch in about two weeks.
Size
37 cm
Nest Placement
Tree
Feeding Habits
Red-faced Mousebird primarily consumes fruit, but also feeds on leaves, buds, flowers, and nectar. In South Africa, red-faced Mousebird is observed taking nectar from Aloe marlothii. Diet analysis shows a mix of fruit and foliage, with occasional animal matter, indicated by tapeworm infestations. Red-faced Mousebird forages on both indigenous and exotic plants, such as mulberry and vines, and can eat fruits toxic to other species like Melia azedarach.
Habitat
Red-faced Mousebird typically inhabits savanna woodland areas, with a preference for Acacia-dominated regions. It is adaptable to a variety of scrub, bush, and wooded environments but avoids dense forests and open grasslands. Red-faced Mousebird is common in riverine thickets, palm groves, orchards, and gardens. It often dominates or replaces related species in drier habitats within its broader geographical range.
Dite type
Granivorous

General Info

Feeding Habits

Bird food type

Species Status

Not globally threatened.
Red-faced Mousebird (Urocolius indicus) Red-faced Mousebird (Urocolius indicus) Photo By Derek Keats , used under CC-BY-SA-2.0 /Cropped and compressed from original

Scientific Classification

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