About the Pale Batis
The pale batis, also known as the Mozambique batis or East coast batis is a species of small bird in the wattle-eyes family, Platysteiridae. It occurs in eastern Africa, mostly in lowland miombo woodland.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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The pale batis is an active, black, white and grey bird which is pale grey above with a black face mask bordered by a thin white supercilium, yellow eye and a pale grey back, mottled with faint white spots. It has white underparts marked with a black band across the breast in males; females have a pale rufous breast band and a similar coloured spot on the chin. The bill and legs are black. Immature birds are similar to the female except that the breast band is browner and the underparts have a buffy wash. The pale batis measures 10.5–11.5 cm (4.1–4.5 in) in length and weighs 8–13.1 g (0.28–0. Voice: The territorial call of the pale batis is a repeated, mournful, long and piping 3-note "pook pook pook" which is repeated up to 12 times at a constant rate, with which the female duets giving excited "wik-wik" calls. Otherwise the repertoire consists of typical batis bill snaps, churrs and whistles.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where the Pale Batis lives
When to see the Pale Batis
Peak activity in November · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Senegal BatisBatis senegalensisThe Senegal batis is a restless flycatcher-like small bird with the distinctive black, white and grey colours and plumage patterns which are typical of the batises.
Pygmy BatisBatis perkeoThe pygmy batis, as its name suggests, is a tiny, rather dumpy but dapper black, white and grey bird with similarities to the flycatchers.
Western Black-headed BatisBatis erlangeriThe western black-headed batis or Von Erlanger's batis, is a species of passerine bird in the wattle-eye family Platysteiridae.
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