How big is a Chirinda Apalis?

The Chirinda Apalis is a tiny sized bird weighing about 9 g.

Where can you see a Chirinda Apalis?

The Chirinda Apalis occurs in 2 countries, including Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

What birds look similar to a Chirinda Apalis?

The Chirinda Apalis is most easily confused with the Lowland Masked Apalis, the Brown-headed Apalis and the Black-capped Apalis.

Is the Chirinda Apalis endangered?

The Chirinda Apalis is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.

Chirinda Apalis

Apalis chirindensis

Cisticolas and Allies · Passeriformes · Rare

The Chirinda Apalis (Apalis chirindensis) is a rare cisticola found in 2 countries, weighing about 9 g. The Chirinda apalis is a species of passerine bird belonging to the family Cisticolidae.

VulnerableRareEats invertebratesforestdome nest9 g

Chirinda Apalis (Apalis chirindensis), photo 1 — Photo: Jonathan Whitaker · CC0

Chirinda Apalis (Apalis chirindensis), photo 2 — Photo: (c) scaup, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY

Chirinda Apalis (Apalis chirindensis), photo 3 — Photo: (c) scaup, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY

Chirinda Apalis (Apalis chirindensis), photo 4 — Photo: (c) i_c_riddell, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY

Chirinda Apalis (Apalis chirindensis), photo 5 — Photo: no rights reserved · CC0

About the Chirinda Apalis

The Chirinda apalis is a species of passerine bird belonging to the family Cisticolidae. This species is endemic to the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

How to identify it

The Chirinda apalis has the typical slender, long tailed shape of apalises, with a slender bill. The overall colour is dull grey, darker above and paler below with white tips to the tail. The sexes are similar but females show a paler base to the beak. The juveniles are similar to the adults but have more yellow or green tinges to the plumage and also have a paler bill. This species has a length of between 11 and 13 cm (4.3 and 5.1 in). The subspecies A. c. vumbae differs from the nominate, A. c. Voice: The call of the Chirinda aplais is a repeated chip which has been written as "chpip-chipip", or "swick-swick-swick".

Where it lives

Zimbabwe Mozambique

When to see it

The Chirinda Apalis can be seen all year round, with peak activity in November. It is a resident species across most of its range.

Easily confused with

Quick questions

How do you identify a Chirinda Apalis?: The Chirinda apalis has the typical slender, long tailed shape of apalises, with a slender bill. Full identification notes are on this page.
How big is a Chirinda Apalis?: The Chirinda Apalis is a tiny sized bird weighing about 9 g.
Where can you see a Chirinda Apalis?: The Chirinda Apalis occurs in 2 countries, including Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
What birds look similar to a Chirinda Apalis?: The Chirinda Apalis is most easily confused with the Lowland Masked Apalis, the Brown-headed Apalis and the Black-capped Apalis.
Is the Chirinda Apalis endangered?: The Chirinda Apalis is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.

Learn the Chirinda Apalis for real

BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.

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