The forest batis or short-tailed batis (''Batis mixta'') is a
species of
bird in the
wattle-eye family,
Platysteiridae
Platysteiridae is a family of small, stout passerine birds of the African tropics. The family contains the wattle-eyes, batises and shrike-flycatchers. They were previously classed as a subfamily of the Old World flycatchers, Muscicapidae. These ...
occurring in eastern Africa.
Taxonomy
The forest batis was described by the English ornithologist
George Ernest Shelley
Captain George Ernest Shelley (15 May 1840 – 29 November 1910) was an English geologist and ornithologist. He was a nephew of the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley.
Shelley was educated at the Lycée de Versailles and served a few years in the Grenad ...
in 1889 and given the
binomial name
In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...
''Pachypora mixta''. It is now placed in the
genus ''
Batis
Batis may refer to:
* ''Batis'' (plant), a genus of flowering, salt-tolerant plants
* ''Batis'' (bird), a genus of birds in the wattle-eye family
* Batis (commander), an ancient military commander
* Batis (lens), a series of full-frame Zeiss l ...
'' that was introduced by the German zoologist
Friedrich Boie in 1833.
The
specific epithet
In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...
''mixta'' is Latin for "mixed" or "mingled".
(''Batis reichenowi'') was formerly treated as a
subspecies
In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...
. The forest batis is now treated as
monotypic.
Description
The forest batis is a small species measuring in length and weighing .
The adult male has bluish grey upperparts with a black mask across the face, a white spot on the lores and white spots on the rump which are revealed when the long feathers are fluffed out. The underparts are white with a black breast band and blackish thighs. The wings are black with a white stripe, the bill and legs are black while the eyes are red. Females are similar in pattern but the upper part colour is more olive in tone, the wings more reddish brown and has a mottled rufous breast band and browner wings. Juveniles similar to female but markings less well differentiated. The short black tail is edged with white.
Distribution and habitat
The forest batis is found in east Africa from the south eastern coast of
Kenya and north eastern
Tanzania including
Mount Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro () is a dormant volcano in Tanzania. It has three volcanic cones: Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira. It is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest free-standing mountain above sea level in the world: above sea level and ab ...
, along the northern
Eastern Arc Mountains
The Eastern Arc Mountains is a chain of mountains found in Kenya and Tanzania. The chain runs from northeast to southwest, with the Taita Hills being in Kenya and the other ranges being in Tanzania. They are delimited on the southwest by the fau ...
of Tanzania, i.e.
Nguru Nguru may refer to:
* Pila Nguru, an aboriginal people of Australia
* Nguru (flute), a small Māori nose flute from New Zealand
* Nguru, Nigeria, a town and LGA in Yobe State
* Hadejia-Nguru wetlands, northern Nigeria
* Nguru Lake, a lake whic ...
,
Nguu,
Usambara Mountains,
Pare and Kilimanjaro. It is also found in coastal south eastern Tanzania.
The forest batis is found in coastal forest,
miombo woodland and in montane forest from sea level up to on Kilimanjaro. It frequents the lower levels of forest and the undergrowth.
[
]
Behaviour
The habits of the forest batis are little known, there have been indications of breeding behaviour in May and June in Kenya, September and October in Tanzania and a single nest with a clutch of 2 eggs has been recorded. Like other batises the largest groups seen are small family groups and pairs are territorial. Calling males make a repetitive, slow series of hu-hu-hu-hu whistles and they puff their white throat feathers out while performing this song.[
]
References
* Fjeldså, Jon; Bowie, Rauri C. K. & Kiure, Jacob (2006
The forest batis, ''Batis mixta'', is two species: description of a new, narrowly distributed ''Batis'' species in the Eastern Arc biodiversity hotspot.
'' Journal of Ornithology'', 147 (4): 578–590.
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1307511
forest batis
Birds of East Africa
forest batis
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot