Brown-throated wattle-eye
The brown-throated wattle-eye (Platysteira cyanea), also known as the common wattle-eye or scarlet-spectacled wattle-eye, is a small, insectivorous passerine bird. The wattle-eyes were previously classed as a subfamily of the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae, but are now usually separated from that group.
Brown-throated wattle-eye | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Clade: | Dinosauria |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Passeriformes |
Family: | Platysteiridae |
Genus: | Platysteira |
Species: | P. cyanea |
Binomial name | |
Platysteira cyanea (Müller, 1776) | |
This species breeds in west, central and northeast tropical Africa. This common species is found in secondary forest and other woodland areas, including gardens. The eggs are laid in a small neat lichen and cobweb cup low in a tree or bush.
The adult brown-throated wattle-eye is a stout bird about 14 cm (5.5 in) long. The breeding male has glossy black upperparts, and white underparts with a neat black breast band. There is a strong white wingbar, and fleshy red wattles above the eye.
The females are grey-black above, and also have the white wing bar and red wattles. There is a small patch of white below the bill, and the throat and breast are maroon, separated from the white belly by the black breast band. Young males are washed-out, greyer versions of the female.
These active insect-eating birds are found in pairs or small groups. The ringing call of the brown-throated wattle-eye is a very characteristic six note doo-dd-dum-di-do-do.
Gallery
- Brown-throated wattle-eye, Gambia
- Male photographed at Bwindi, SW. Uganda
References
- BirdLife International (2016). "Platysteira cyanea". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22707924A94142236. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22707924A94142236.en. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
- Birds of The Gambia by Barlow, Wacher and Disley, ISBN 1-873403-32-1
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