Bar-throated Apalis
Apalis thoracica
The Bar-throated Apalis (Apalis thoracica) is a uncommon cisticola found in 11 countries, weighing about 11 g. The bar-throated apalis is a small African passerine bird belonging to the genus Apalis of the family Cisticolidae.
About the Bar-throated Apalis
The bar-throated apalis is a small African passerine bird belonging to the genus Apalis of the family Cisticolidae. It is native to the eastern and southern Afrotropics.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The bar-throated apalis is a slender bird with a long tail and is 11 to 13 cm in length. The plumage varies depending on the subspecies: the upper parts can be grey or green while the underparts are white or pale yellow. All forms have a narrow black band across the breast, white outer tail-feathers and a pale eye. The black bill is fairly long and slender and is slightly curved. Females are similar to males but have a narrower breast band. Juveniles have buffer underparts and may have an incomplete breast band.
What the Bar-throated Apalis sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Namibia.
When to see it
The Bar-throated Apalis can be seen all year round, with peak activity in October. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Bar-throated Apalis?
- The bar-throated apalis is a slender bird with a long tail and is 11 to 13 cm in length. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Bar-throated Apalis?
- The Bar-throated Apalis is a tiny sized bird weighing about 11 g.
- Where can you see a Bar-throated Apalis?
- The Bar-throated Apalis occurs in 11 countries, including South Africa, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Eswatini and Malawi.
- What does a Bar-throated Apalis sound like?
- You can listen to a field recording of the Bar-throated Apalis on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Bar-throated Apalis?
- The Bar-throated Apalis is most easily confused with the Yellow-breasted Apalis, the Rudd's Apalis and the Grey Apalis.
- Is the Bar-throated Apalis endangered?
- The Bar-throated Apalis is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Bar-throated Apalis for real
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