Rwenzori Batis

Batis diops

Wattle-eyes and Batises · Passeriformes · Rare

The Rwenzori Batis (Batis diops) is a rare wattle-eyes and batis found in 4 countries, weighing about 13 g. The Rwenzori batis is a bird native to the Albertine Rift montane forests, where it inhabits altitudes of 1,340–3,300 m (4,400–10,830 ft).

Least ConcernRareEats invertebratesforest13 g

About the Rwenzori Batis

The Rwenzori batis is a bird native to the Albertine Rift montane forests, where it inhabits altitudes of 1,340–3,300 m (4,400–10,830 ft).

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

How to identify it

The Rwenzori batis is a small, active black and white Old World flycatcher. The upperparts are dark bluish black with a white stripe along the wing and a white loral spot. The underparts are mostly white except for a glossy bluish black breast band, a black chin spot and black thighs and grey axillaries. The tail is black with the feathers having white tips and white edges on the outer tail feathers. The sexes are similar except that males have yellow eyes and females have been reported sometimes to have orangey-red eyes. Juveniles are similar to adults but the plumage has a more rufous cast. Voice: The territorial call is a slow low-pitched whistle, which has been described as both ventriloqual and eerie. It is repeated with an interval of 2–4 seconds between each whistle.

Where it lives

When to see it

Best months: January, February, March, May, June, July, August, September, November, December, with peak activity in July. It is a variable species across most of its range.

Easily confused with

Quick questions

How do you identify a Rwenzori Batis?
The Rwenzori batis is a small, active black and white Old World flycatcher. Full identification notes are on this page.
How big is a Rwenzori Batis?
The Rwenzori Batis is a tiny sized bird weighing about 13 g.
Where can you see a Rwenzori Batis?
The Rwenzori Batis occurs in 4 countries, including Uganda, Rwanda, Congo - Kinshasa and Burundi.
What birds look similar to a Rwenzori Batis?
The Rwenzori Batis is most easily confused with the Woodwards' Batis, the Western Black-headed Batis and the Pygmy Batis.
Is the Rwenzori Batis endangered?
The Rwenzori Batis is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Learn the Rwenzori Batis 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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