Speckled Mousebird (Colius striatus)
Also called Bar-Breasted, White-Cheeked, and Striated.
Speckled Mousebirds in the wild
Also called Bar-Breasted, White-Cheeked, and Striated.
Speckled Mousebirds in the wild
The first section of this page will contain info I researched from the internet as to the Speckled mousebirds in the wild. I have noticed that the colors of the captive bred mousebirds are not as vibrant as their wild counterparts. I suspect a lot of this may be due to diets, environments, and exposure to sunshine and the elements.
Throughout the article are links to the online original photos I have used below. The link will open up in a separate window. I have saved and edited a few of them, such as adjusting details, adding captions, etc, such as showing the various subspecies.
And a Special Thanks to the book Mousebirds in Aviculture, by Kateri Davis, which has been very helpful in aiding me with descriptions of the subspecies to identify several of the birds in the links and photos below.
Speckled Mousebird’s name comes from the similar appearance of a mouse, when it moves through vegetation The Speckled is the largest species of mousebird, as well as one of the most commonly found in Africa. Most of the Speckled in captivity can be found at zoos. There are only a few US breeders working with Speckled.
It is well-named, because it is dull-mousy brown in overall color on the back and on the head (including a prominent crest). The upper mandible/bill is black on the upper part, or either a pale bluish white culmen, and is a pinkish to silver-gray color on the lower part of the mandible/bill, depending on the subspecies.
The rare Red-Backed Mousebird can be confused with this species, but the differently colored mandibles and the lack of a bare grey orbital patch render the Speckled species distinctive.
The Speckled mousebirds tail is wider and softer than the other species of mousebirds because it has 12 feathers, whereas the Urocolius genus have 10.
Feathers are mostly gray-brown, but the transverse bands are not distinct in all subspecies. The more southerly subspecies have bills with an entirely black upper mandible and a silver-gray lower mandible; in the northerly subspecies, there is a white spot on top of the upper mandible, which is called the culmen.
Eastern African subspecies are also characterized by white silver-looking feathers at the sides of the head, which give them the name, white-eared mousebirds. Facial skin is seen on a few of the subspecies. The Speckled mousebirds have the widest range of colors to the iris of the eye, from a pale blue, yellow, pale grey, red to brown. The color may also differ above or below the pupil. Feet color also darkens the further south the Speckled are.
Speckled mousebirds are very social birds, feeding together and engaging in mutual preening. They also accompany each other when they go to ground to dust bath (also to occasionally to swallow sand and small pebbles to assist in grinding up vegetation as they digest it). Dust bathing, helps to reduce to decrease ectoparasite loads.
They often feed on fruits which are low in calories. They eat ripe and unripe fruits, plant matters such as leaves, buds, blossoms, flowers and nectar, some insects such as ants and termites. They also consume clay-earth, which helps if they have eaten any plant matter that contains toxins.
Candys Style Mousebirds
Photos taken of visiting mousebirds in my garden, Kempton Park,
Johansburg One pair of Speckled is mating.
http://i37.tinypic.com/ad12rc.jpg
http://i34.tinypic.com/15pg4ee.jpg
http://i33.tinypic.com/2q3t34z.jpg
http://i34.tinypic.com/hupxe1.jpg
http://i34.tinypic.com/2zi575h.jpg
http://tinyurl.com/2vd6rme
Mousebird enjoying the morning sun
http://www.birdquest.net/afbid/birdspecies.php?func=view&slideno=22&af_bs_id=906
Subspecies, C.s. striatus
Photo/copyright: Peter Hills
Location: Durban Umgeni Mangrove South Africa
Speckled sun-bathing
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28979182@N08/3864295658/
Photo: roelofvdb, was taken in my garden in Randburg,
Location: Gauteng province in South Africa.
Mousebirds sharing food.
http://www.birdquest.net/afbid/birdspecies.php?func=view&slideno=7&af_bs_id=906
Photo: Gilles MONNOYEUR
Location: Yaoundé - Cameroun
Many people will put large pieces of fruit in trees and on branches for the mousebirds to eat. http://www.flickr.com/photos/ruslou/2884786816/
Copyright: Ruslou Koorts
Location: Forever Resorts Warmbaths (Bela Bela). South Africa.
Mousebirds clustering
http://ibc.lynxeds.com/photo/speckled-mousebird-colius-striatus/perched-small-family-groupSubspecies C.s. kikuyensis
Photo/copyright: Steve Garvie
Location: Mount Kenya National Park, Kenya
Mousebirds eating fruit in a tree
http://www.birdquest.net/afbid/birdspecies.php?func=view&slideno=4&af_bs_id=906
Photo: Bayou Elias
Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Mousebirds enjoying the sand
http://www.birdquest.net/afbid/birdspecies.php?func=view&slideno=21&af_bs_id=906
Photo: Bernd de Bruijn
Location: Addis Abeba, Ethiopia
Speckled, like all species of mousebirds enjoy sun-bathing which aids to maintain normal body temperature. Mousebirds are able to go into torpor during these periods to conserve energy. They can reduce their body temperature of 106.7 degrees down to 68 degrees (20°C), and that explains why solar radiations are necessary. The bird perches on a sun exposed branch with ruffled feathers and wings opened.
A favorite position of Mousebirds.
http://www.birdquest.net/afbid/birdspecies.php?func=view&slideno=16&af_bs_id=906
Photo: Sergio Maria Bianchi
Location: Asmara (Eritrea)
Speckled mousebirds live in flocks all year round, including breeding season. These groups of 7-8 birds are probably family groups. When traveling or at an area with plenty of food groups of up to 20 birds can be seen foraging. They perform their daily activities communally, with constant contact calls. They often have physical contact, such as mutual preening, when perched very close to each other in trees
Average length: 10.2 to 14.2 inches
Weight range: 36 to 89 grams
A PDF page with info on Speckled http://sabap2.adu.org.za/docs/sabap1/424.pdf
Online photos of Speckled: http://tinyurl.com/28k8xgd
Names in other languages
Afrikaans: Gevlekte Muisvoel, Gevlekte Muisvoël
Czech: Myšák hnedokrídlý, myšák hnědokřidlý
Danish: Brun Musefugl
German: Braunflügel-Mausvogel
English: Bar-breasted Mousebird, Speckeld mousebird, Speckled Coly, Speckled Mousebird, Striated Mousebird
Spanish: Colí de Anteojos, Pájaro-ratón Común
Estonian: pruun-hiirlind
Finnish: Hiiro, täplähiiro
French: Coliou barré, Coliou rayé, Coliou strié
Hebrew: קוליוסממושקף
Italian: Uccello topo macchiettato, Uccello topo marezzato
Japanese: chaironezumidori
Japanese: チャイロネズミドリ
Latin: Colius striatus
Dutch: Bruine Muisvogel, Gestreepte Muisvogel
Norwegian: Brun musfugl, Brunmusfugl
Polish: czepiga rudawa
Portuguese: Rabo de junco estriado, Rabo-de-junco-de-peito-barrado, Rabo-de-junco-estriado
Russian: бурокрылаяптица-мышь, Полосатаяптица-мышь
Slovak: Myšovec pásavý
Sotho, Southern: Fariki
Swahili: Kuzumburu Michirizi
Tsonga: Tshivhovo
Xhosa: Indlazi
Zulu: iNdlazi
Taxocomy
Colius striatus has 19 subspecies (C.s. prefixes the name of each subspecies)
C. s. striatus
Clumen: all black
Facial skin: dark charcoal
Eyes: brown
Ear coverts: grey/brown, no contrast
Neck: grey/brown, fine barring
Mantle: grey/brown, fine barring
Rump: ashy brown, fine barring
Chin: light brown
Throat: brown, fine barring below
Breast: fine barring
Abdomen: buff
Feet: dark purple
Range: South Africa This subspecies is the farthest south.
Some photos on the internet
http://tinyurl.com/29hrvuf
Subspecies C.s. striatus
Copyright 2006 Martin Heigan
Location: Gauteng, South Africa Speckled on Aloe
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Colius_striatus_2.jpg
Subspecies, C.s. striatus, this subspecies is the farthest south.
Photo: berichard
Location: Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden, near Roodeport, Johannesburg, South Africa
C. s. nigricollis
Culmen: pale blue-grey
Forehead: black with beige stripes
Facial skin: black and warty with a wide patch of white skin behind the eye
Eyes: brown
Ear Coverts: brown/grey, no contrast
Neck: Brown/grey, barred
Mantle: light brown
Rump: light brown
Chin: black
Throat: black
Breast: light brown, barred
Abdomen: buff
Feet: orange-red
Range: Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, SW Congo, Farthest west
Some photos on the internet
http://www.birdquest.net/afbid/birdspecies.php?func=view&slideno=28&af_bs_id=906
Subspecies, C.s. nigricollis
Photo/copyright: Tony Disley
Location: Gashaka Gumti N.P, Nigeria
http://www.birdquest.net/afbid/birdspecies.php?func=view&slideno=14&af_bs_id=906
Subspecies, C.s. nigricollis
Photo/copyright: Ron Hoff
Location: Gabon
http://tinyurl.com/2cqeeye
Nice photo of the Subspecies C.s. nigricolius, that is mislabled
Photo: Marc Chretien
C. s. minor
Culmen: all black, no white
Facial skin: charcoal to dilute black
Eyes: brown
Ear Coverts: no contrast
Neck: grey-brown, fine dark barring
Mantle: grey-brown, fine barring
Rump: ashy brown with fine barring
Chin: dark brown
Throat: blacker than striatus
Breast: light red-brown, fine barring
Abdomen: light red-brown
Feet: dark purple
Range: South Africa, Swaziland
Some photos on the internet
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Peckled_Mousebird_RWD.jpg
Subspecies, C.s. minor
Photo: Dick Daniels
Location: Birds of Eden aviary, South Africa
C. s. integralis
Culmen: all black, no white
Forehead: dark brown
Facial skin: black
Eyes: brown
Ear Coverts: no contrast
Neck: barred
Mantle: barred
Rump: brown-grey
Chin: dark brown
Throat: black
Breast: barred
Abdomen: paler than minor
Feet: dark purple
Range: South Adica, Sweaziland, S Mozambique, SE Zimbabwe
Some photos on the internet
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ruslou/2621153792/page3/
Copyright: Ruslou Koorts
Location: In our garden. Silver Lakes Golf Estate, Pretoria. South Africa
Speckled, Subspecies C.s. integratis
C. s. simulans
Culmen: all black, no white
Forehead: dark brown
Facial skin: grey
Eyes: red
Ear Coverts: no contrast
Neck: no barring
Mantle: browner than integralis
Rump: browner than integralis
Chin: brown
Throat: black
Breast: faint barring
Abdomen: deep buff, no barring
Feet: dark purple
Range: South Africa
Some photos on the internet
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Colius_striatus_1.jpg
Subspecies, C.s. simulans
Photo: berichard
Location: Eating succulent leaves at Walter Sisulu National
Botanical Garden, near Roodeport, Johannesburg, South Africa
A blog that has a photo of a nesting mousebird
Subspecies: C.s.simulans
Photo: Charl Bothma
Location: Westville, KZN, South Africa
http://nightwalkingtruths.wordpress.com/
Pg 10, top row shows a C.s. simulans
http://www.lifers-birding.com/gallery/?nggpage=10
Photo: Jock Tame
Location: Johannesburg East, suburbia
This site has a great E-zine on South african birds: www.thebirderonline.com
Mousebirds on aloe
Subspecies: C.s. simulans
http://www.flickr.com/photos/martin_heigan/186601331/in/photostream/
Photo: Martin Heigan
Location: Krugersdorp, Gauteng, South Africa
C. s. rhodesia
Culmen: all black, no white
Forehead: brown
Facial skin: black
Eyes: brown
Ear Coverts: no contrast
Neck: barred
Mantle: fine barring
Rump: brown-grey
Chin: black with grey
Throat: black
Breast: tan, fine barring
Abdomen: tan-buff
Feet: conflicting info: red-purple or dark purple, or pinkish red
Range: Highlands of E. Zimbabwe, Mozambique
C. s. affinis
Culmen: pale blue-white
Facial skin: pale grey
Eyes: brown, can be yellow/brown
Ear Coverts: whitish
Neck:
Mantle: pale brown, no barring
Rump:
Chin:
Throat: light grey
Breast: little barring
Abdomen:
Feet: red
Range: NE Zimbabwe, Malawi, N Mozambique, S & coastal Tanzania
C. s. mombassicus
Culmen: blue-white
Forehead: dark brown
Facial skin: dark charcoal grey
Eyes: brown
Ear Coverts: contrasting
Neck: barred
Mantle: narrow barring, indistinct
Rump: paler than affinis
Chin: grey-white
Throat: whitish with broad barring
Breast: warn brown
Abdomen: light warm brown
Feet: red
Range: S Somalia, coastal Kenya, inland NE Tanzania
C. s. cinerascens
Culmen: blue-white
Forehead: brownish black
Facial skin: pale grey
Eyes: green grey to yellow
Ear Coverts: contrasting
Neck: barred
Mantle: olive brown
Rump: olive brown
Chin: dark brown
Throat: tan-grey, finely barred
Breast: broadly barred
Abdomen: warm brown
Feet: red
Range: SE Tanzania
http://www.birdquest.net/afbid/birdspecies.php?func=view&slideno=19&af_bs_id=906
Subspecies, C.s. cinerascens
Photo/copyright: Nik Borrow
Location: Lake Duluti, Tanzania
C. s. berlepschi
Culmen: blue-white
Facial skin: black
Eyes: brown, can also be yellow
Ear Coverts: contrasting
Neck: uniform and paler than cinerascens
Mantle: less olive-brown than cinerascens
Rump:
Chin: dusky to black, paler than cinerascens
Throat: very dark
Breast:
Abdomen:
Feet: red
Range: N Malawi, NE Zambia, SW Tanzania
C. s. kikuyensis
Culmen: blue-white, well defined
Facial skin: black
Eyes: brown
Ear Coverts: contrasting
Neck: finely barred
Mantle: deep rich brown to reddish brown
Rump: pale tannish-brown
Chin: grey/white
Throat: Dark brown-black feathers tipped with grey
Breast: dark brown to reddish brown, black barring
Abdomen: tan-grey
Feet: red
Range: Central Kenya, northern border of Tanzania
C. s. ugandensis
Culmen: blue-white
Forehead: brown-black
Facial skin: grey
Eyes: Yellow to pale yellow, with dark areas in front and behind pupil
Ear Coverts: contrasting
Neck: dark brownish black, crest paler than neck
Mantle: dark brown
Rump: light brown
Chin: brownish black
Throat: black
Breast: dark tannish brown
Abdomen: dark tan
Feet: red
Range: S Uganda, w Kenya, extreme NW Tanzania
Some photos on the internet
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gregbm/5147559513/
Subspecies: C.s. ugandensis
Photo: Greg Miles
Location: Narok, Rift Valley, Kenya
http://www.birdquest.net/afbid/birdspecies.php?func=view&slideno=10&af_bs_id=906
Subspecies; C.s. ugandensis
Photo: Atle Helge Qvale
Location: Lake Nakuru, Kenya
C. s. Kiwuenis, darker and warmer brown than other races
Culmen: blue-white
Forehead: brown tinged with black
Facial skin: dark charcoal grey
Eyes: pale grayish white, can be part yellow & grey/white or yellow a gr/grey
Ear Coverts: contrasting
Neck: faint barring
Mantle: deep dark brown, no barring
Rump: light brown
Chin: dusky brown-black
Throat: dusky black with grey-white tips
Breast: very dark grey-brown, faint barring
Abdomen: warn light brown
Feet: red
Range: Uganda, NW Tanzania, Rwanda, E Zaire
Some photos on the internet
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sm_Colius_striatus_kiwuensis.jpg
Subspecies C.s. kiwuensis
Photo/copyright: Lip Kee Yap
Location: Hôtel des Mille Collines (aka Hotel Rwanda), Kigali, Rwanda
C. s. congicus, darkest race, similar to the Red-backed, but without the chestnut/red rump, and smaller size
Culmen: blue-white
Forehead: dark brown
Facial skin: light charcoal grey
Eyes: brown, or can be pale yellow-grey or pale light green-grey
Ear Coverts: contrasting
Neck: dark brownish black
Mantle: very dark grey-brown, unbarred
Rump: tannish gey-brown
Chin: dark brown
Throat: brown-black, unbarred
Breast: very dark grey-brown, unbarred
Abdomen: grey-tan
Feet: red
Range: E Angola, S Zaire, NW Zambia
Some photos on the internet
http://media.photobucket.com/image/speckled%20mousebird/nkgray/Speckled_Mousebird8.jpg?o=6
Copyright Neil Gray
Speckled, Subspecies C.s. congicus
C. s. jebelensis
Culmen: blue-white
Forehead: dark brown-black
Facial skin: dark charcoal
Eyes: brown, can also be yellow, grey-green
Ear Coverts: very pale tannish white
Neck: grayish tan
Mantle: grayish, paler than kiweunis
Rump: grey-brown
Chin: black
Throat: black with white tipped edges
Breast: light tan
Abdomen: reddish tan
Feet: red
Range: Northern border of Uganda, S Sudan
Some photos on the internet
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Colius_striatus.jpg
Subspecies, C.s. jebelensis
Photo: Tom Tarrant
Location: Uganda, Buhoma, Bwindi NP
C. s. leucotis, palest race, farthest north. When young the eyes are brown, wing coverts broadly edged with buff.
Culmen: blue-white
Forehead: dark brown-black
Facial skin: dark grey
Eyes: range from sky blue to blue-white or blue-grey
Ear Coverts: grey, little contrast
Neck: pale grey-brown, barred
Mantle: pale grey-brown, narrow barring
Rump: tannish-grey
Chin: brown-grey
Throat: pale grey, faint barring
Breast: very pale buff-brown, narrow barring
Abdomen: very pale buff-brown
Feet: dark red
Range: E Sudan, W and SW Ethiopia, Eritrea
Some photos on the internet
http://ibc.lynxeds.com/photo/speckled-mousebird-colius-striatus/bird-tree
Photo by: Stefan Helming
Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Subspecies, C.s. leucotis
Young C.s. leucotis (notice the brown eyes)
http://ibc.lynxeds.com/photo/speckled-mousebird-colius-striatus/bird-basking-evening-sun
Photo: Stefan Helming
Location: Awash National Park, Ethiopia
http://www.birdquest.net/afbid/birdspecies.php?func=view&slideno=21&af_bs_id=906
Subspecies, C.s. leucotis pair dust bathing
Photo/copyright: Bernd de Bruijn
Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
http://tinyurl.com/2e3vhpn
Photo: Ian Fulton
Location: Bahir Dar
Subspecies C.s. leucotis
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ColiusSmit.jpg
Watercolor from 1886, Right- Colius leucotis
Left-Colius affinis
C. s. hilgerti, very similar to leucotis
Culmen: blue-white
Forehead: dark-brownish black
Facial skin: dark charcoal
Eyes: light steel blue-grey
Ear Coverts: pale brown-white, browner wash than leucotis
Neck: finely barred
Mantle: brown-grey, with barring
Rump: reddish-tan
Chin: dark brown-black
Throat: black, darker than leucotis
Breast: fine barring
Abdomen: light reddish-brown
Feet: red
Range: NE Ethiopia, SW Djibouti, NW Somalia
Some photos on the internet
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2009-0630-ColiStri-Ethiopia-BahirDar-029.jpg
Subspecies: C.s. hilgerti
Photo: Veli Pohjonen
Location: Mousebirds on a lake shore bush at Lake Tana, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
C. s. leucophthalmus, crest has a yellow tint, top of the head is pale, found in the upper-most center of Africa.
Culmen: pale blue-grey
Forehead: Black
Facial skin:
Eyes: white
Ear Coverts: brown
Neck: lightly barred, nape strongly barred
Mantle: lightly batted
Rump:
Chin:
Throat: black, like nigricollis
Breast: barred
Abdomen:
Feet: light red or pink
Range: NE Zaire, S Sudan, SE Central African Republic
C s. Erlangeri, darker than leucotis
Culmen: blue-white
Forehead: Brown-grey
Facial skin: charcoal grey
Eyes: blue-white or light blue-grey
Ear Coverts: white, contrasting
Neck: grayish-tan, barred
Mantle: distinctly barred
Rump: reddish tan
Chin: dark brown-grey
Throat: dark, contrasting barring
Breast: distinctly barred
Abdomen: reddish brown
Feet: red
Range: SE Sudan, Central and SW Ethiopia
Some photos on the internet
http://www.birdquest.net/afbid/birdspecies.php?func=view&slideno=18&af_bs_id=906
Subspecies C.s. erlangeri
Photo/copyright by: Ian Fulton
Location: Ethiopia
http://ibc.lynxeds.com/photo/speckled-mousebird-colius-striatus/close-head
Close-up of the head
Subspecies C.s. erlangeri
Photo/copyright:: Stefan Helming
Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
http://www.flickr.com/photos/curse10p/3360002358/sizes/l/in/photostream/
Photo/copyright: curse10p
Taken in Ethiopia
Subspecies, C.s. Erlanger
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ngari/3037776191/
Photo by: Ngari.Norway
Location: taken in Addis, Abba, Ethiopia
Subspecies, C.s. erlangeri
Races can be divided into three groups:
"nigricollis group" Vieillot, 1817 Dstributed in NW part of range, comprising races nigricollis and leucophthalmus in Ghana (Mole Game Park), and SE Nigeria (E of R Niger and Jos Plateau) E to SW Central African Republic and S to W Angola (Cabinda S to N Namibe) and SW Zaire. The subspecies leucophthalmus Chapin, 1921, Distribution: SE Central African Republic, NE Zaire and SW Sudan.
"leucotis group", Rüppell, 1839 including leucotis, hilgerti, erlangeri, kikuyensis, mombassicus, jebelensis, ugandensis, kiwuensis, congicus, cinerascens, affinis and berlepschi, E Sudan (Blue Nile) and W Ethiopia.
"striatus group" of S, with races simulans, rhodesiae, integralis, minor and striatus
Subspecies Speckled Mousebird, http://tinyurl.com/274b245
Click on each pix and it will show some of the subspecies, such ssp. Leucotis, ssp kikuyensis, ssp Erlangeri, ssp Kiwanis
Photos of Speckled in different parts of Africa.
http://www.birdquest.net/afbid/search.php?func=searchresult&af_bs_id=906
http://www.birdquest.net/afbid/randomimage.php?af_img_id=3120
Distribution
Cameroon, Eritrea, Ethiopia, south through eastern Africa to southern Africa.
Map showing some locations, and at the bottom of the page is sound clips of contact calls of the Speckled.
http://www.xeno-canto.org/africa/species.php?species_nr2=5947.00
Map of Distribution of the Speckled: http://tinyurl.com/36gvnxk
Another map: http://www.oiseaux.net/oiseaux/distribution/coliou.raye.html
Throughout the article are links to the online original photos I have used below. The link will open up in a separate window. I have saved and edited a few of them, such as adjusting details, adding captions, etc, such as showing the various subspecies.
And a Special Thanks to the book Mousebirds in Aviculture, by Kateri Davis, which has been very helpful in aiding me with descriptions of the subspecies to identify several of the birds in the links and photos below.
Speckled Mousebird’s name comes from the similar appearance of a mouse, when it moves through vegetation The Speckled is the largest species of mousebird, as well as one of the most commonly found in Africa. Most of the Speckled in captivity can be found at zoos. There are only a few US breeders working with Speckled.
It is well-named, because it is dull-mousy brown in overall color on the back and on the head (including a prominent crest). The upper mandible/bill is black on the upper part, or either a pale bluish white culmen, and is a pinkish to silver-gray color on the lower part of the mandible/bill, depending on the subspecies.
The rare Red-Backed Mousebird can be confused with this species, but the differently colored mandibles and the lack of a bare grey orbital patch render the Speckled species distinctive.
The Speckled mousebirds tail is wider and softer than the other species of mousebirds because it has 12 feathers, whereas the Urocolius genus have 10.
Feathers are mostly gray-brown, but the transverse bands are not distinct in all subspecies. The more southerly subspecies have bills with an entirely black upper mandible and a silver-gray lower mandible; in the northerly subspecies, there is a white spot on top of the upper mandible, which is called the culmen.
Eastern African subspecies are also characterized by white silver-looking feathers at the sides of the head, which give them the name, white-eared mousebirds. Facial skin is seen on a few of the subspecies. The Speckled mousebirds have the widest range of colors to the iris of the eye, from a pale blue, yellow, pale grey, red to brown. The color may also differ above or below the pupil. Feet color also darkens the further south the Speckled are.
Speckled mousebirds are very social birds, feeding together and engaging in mutual preening. They also accompany each other when they go to ground to dust bath (also to occasionally to swallow sand and small pebbles to assist in grinding up vegetation as they digest it). Dust bathing, helps to reduce to decrease ectoparasite loads.
They often feed on fruits which are low in calories. They eat ripe and unripe fruits, plant matters such as leaves, buds, blossoms, flowers and nectar, some insects such as ants and termites. They also consume clay-earth, which helps if they have eaten any plant matter that contains toxins.
Candys Style Mousebirds
Photos taken of visiting mousebirds in my garden, Kempton Park,
Johansburg One pair of Speckled is mating.
http://i37.tinypic.com/ad12rc.jpg
http://i34.tinypic.com/15pg4ee.jpg
http://i33.tinypic.com/2q3t34z.jpg
http://i34.tinypic.com/hupxe1.jpg
http://i34.tinypic.com/2zi575h.jpg
http://tinyurl.com/2vd6rme
Mousebird enjoying the morning sun
http://www.birdquest.net/afbid/birdspecies.php?func=view&slideno=22&af_bs_id=906
Subspecies, C.s. striatus
Photo/copyright: Peter Hills
Location: Durban Umgeni Mangrove South Africa
Speckled sun-bathing
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28979182@N08/3864295658/
Photo: roelofvdb, was taken in my garden in Randburg,
Location: Gauteng province in South Africa.
Mousebirds sharing food.
http://www.birdquest.net/afbid/birdspecies.php?func=view&slideno=7&af_bs_id=906
Photo: Gilles MONNOYEUR
Location: Yaoundé - Cameroun
Many people will put large pieces of fruit in trees and on branches for the mousebirds to eat. http://www.flickr.com/photos/ruslou/2884786816/
Copyright: Ruslou Koorts
Location: Forever Resorts Warmbaths (Bela Bela). South Africa.
Mousebirds clustering
http://ibc.lynxeds.com/photo/speckled-mousebird-colius-striatus/perched-small-family-groupSubspecies C.s. kikuyensis
Photo/copyright: Steve Garvie
Location: Mount Kenya National Park, Kenya
Mousebirds eating fruit in a tree
http://www.birdquest.net/afbid/birdspecies.php?func=view&slideno=4&af_bs_id=906
Photo: Bayou Elias
Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Mousebirds enjoying the sand
http://www.birdquest.net/afbid/birdspecies.php?func=view&slideno=21&af_bs_id=906
Photo: Bernd de Bruijn
Location: Addis Abeba, Ethiopia
Speckled, like all species of mousebirds enjoy sun-bathing which aids to maintain normal body temperature. Mousebirds are able to go into torpor during these periods to conserve energy. They can reduce their body temperature of 106.7 degrees down to 68 degrees (20°C), and that explains why solar radiations are necessary. The bird perches on a sun exposed branch with ruffled feathers and wings opened.
A favorite position of Mousebirds.
http://www.birdquest.net/afbid/birdspecies.php?func=view&slideno=16&af_bs_id=906
Photo: Sergio Maria Bianchi
Location: Asmara (Eritrea)
Speckled mousebirds live in flocks all year round, including breeding season. These groups of 7-8 birds are probably family groups. When traveling or at an area with plenty of food groups of up to 20 birds can be seen foraging. They perform their daily activities communally, with constant contact calls. They often have physical contact, such as mutual preening, when perched very close to each other in trees
Average length: 10.2 to 14.2 inches
Weight range: 36 to 89 grams
A PDF page with info on Speckled http://sabap2.adu.org.za/docs/sabap1/424.pdf
Online photos of Speckled: http://tinyurl.com/28k8xgd
Names in other languages
Afrikaans: Gevlekte Muisvoel, Gevlekte Muisvoël
Czech: Myšák hnedokrídlý, myšák hnědokřidlý
Danish: Brun Musefugl
German: Braunflügel-Mausvogel
English: Bar-breasted Mousebird, Speckeld mousebird, Speckled Coly, Speckled Mousebird, Striated Mousebird
Spanish: Colí de Anteojos, Pájaro-ratón Común
Estonian: pruun-hiirlind
Finnish: Hiiro, täplähiiro
French: Coliou barré, Coliou rayé, Coliou strié
Hebrew: קוליוסממושקף
Italian: Uccello topo macchiettato, Uccello topo marezzato
Japanese: chaironezumidori
Japanese: チャイロネズミドリ
Latin: Colius striatus
Dutch: Bruine Muisvogel, Gestreepte Muisvogel
Norwegian: Brun musfugl, Brunmusfugl
Polish: czepiga rudawa
Portuguese: Rabo de junco estriado, Rabo-de-junco-de-peito-barrado, Rabo-de-junco-estriado
Russian: бурокрылаяптица-мышь, Полосатаяптица-мышь
Slovak: Myšovec pásavý
Sotho, Southern: Fariki
Swahili: Kuzumburu Michirizi
Tsonga: Tshivhovo
Xhosa: Indlazi
Zulu: iNdlazi
Taxocomy
Colius striatus has 19 subspecies (C.s. prefixes the name of each subspecies)
C. s. striatus
Clumen: all black
Facial skin: dark charcoal
Eyes: brown
Ear coverts: grey/brown, no contrast
Neck: grey/brown, fine barring
Mantle: grey/brown, fine barring
Rump: ashy brown, fine barring
Chin: light brown
Throat: brown, fine barring below
Breast: fine barring
Abdomen: buff
Feet: dark purple
Range: South Africa This subspecies is the farthest south.
Some photos on the internet
http://tinyurl.com/29hrvuf
Subspecies C.s. striatus
Copyright 2006 Martin Heigan
Location: Gauteng, South Africa Speckled on Aloe
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Colius_striatus_2.jpg
Subspecies, C.s. striatus, this subspecies is the farthest south.
Photo: berichard
Location: Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden, near Roodeport, Johannesburg, South Africa
C. s. nigricollis
Culmen: pale blue-grey
Forehead: black with beige stripes
Facial skin: black and warty with a wide patch of white skin behind the eye
Eyes: brown
Ear Coverts: brown/grey, no contrast
Neck: Brown/grey, barred
Mantle: light brown
Rump: light brown
Chin: black
Throat: black
Breast: light brown, barred
Abdomen: buff
Feet: orange-red
Range: Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, SW Congo, Farthest west
Some photos on the internet
http://www.birdquest.net/afbid/birdspecies.php?func=view&slideno=28&af_bs_id=906
Subspecies, C.s. nigricollis
Photo/copyright: Tony Disley
Location: Gashaka Gumti N.P, Nigeria
http://www.birdquest.net/afbid/birdspecies.php?func=view&slideno=14&af_bs_id=906
Subspecies, C.s. nigricollis
Photo/copyright: Ron Hoff
Location: Gabon
http://tinyurl.com/2cqeeye
Nice photo of the Subspecies C.s. nigricolius, that is mislabled
Photo: Marc Chretien
C. s. minor
Culmen: all black, no white
Facial skin: charcoal to dilute black
Eyes: brown
Ear Coverts: no contrast
Neck: grey-brown, fine dark barring
Mantle: grey-brown, fine barring
Rump: ashy brown with fine barring
Chin: dark brown
Throat: blacker than striatus
Breast: light red-brown, fine barring
Abdomen: light red-brown
Feet: dark purple
Range: South Africa, Swaziland
Some photos on the internet
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Peckled_Mousebird_RWD.jpg
Subspecies, C.s. minor
Photo: Dick Daniels
Location: Birds of Eden aviary, South Africa
C. s. integralis
Culmen: all black, no white
Forehead: dark brown
Facial skin: black
Eyes: brown
Ear Coverts: no contrast
Neck: barred
Mantle: barred
Rump: brown-grey
Chin: dark brown
Throat: black
Breast: barred
Abdomen: paler than minor
Feet: dark purple
Range: South Adica, Sweaziland, S Mozambique, SE Zimbabwe
Some photos on the internet
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ruslou/2621153792/page3/
Copyright: Ruslou Koorts
Location: In our garden. Silver Lakes Golf Estate, Pretoria. South Africa
Speckled, Subspecies C.s. integratis
C. s. simulans
Culmen: all black, no white
Forehead: dark brown
Facial skin: grey
Eyes: red
Ear Coverts: no contrast
Neck: no barring
Mantle: browner than integralis
Rump: browner than integralis
Chin: brown
Throat: black
Breast: faint barring
Abdomen: deep buff, no barring
Feet: dark purple
Range: South Africa
Some photos on the internet
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Colius_striatus_1.jpg
Subspecies, C.s. simulans
Photo: berichard
Location: Eating succulent leaves at Walter Sisulu National
Botanical Garden, near Roodeport, Johannesburg, South Africa
A blog that has a photo of a nesting mousebird
Subspecies: C.s.simulans
Photo: Charl Bothma
Location: Westville, KZN, South Africa
http://nightwalkingtruths.wordpress.com/
Pg 10, top row shows a C.s. simulans
http://www.lifers-birding.com/gallery/?nggpage=10
Photo: Jock Tame
Location: Johannesburg East, suburbia
This site has a great E-zine on South african birds: www.thebirderonline.com
Mousebirds on aloe
Subspecies: C.s. simulans
http://www.flickr.com/photos/martin_heigan/186601331/in/photostream/
Photo: Martin Heigan
Location: Krugersdorp, Gauteng, South Africa
C. s. rhodesia
Culmen: all black, no white
Forehead: brown
Facial skin: black
Eyes: brown
Ear Coverts: no contrast
Neck: barred
Mantle: fine barring
Rump: brown-grey
Chin: black with grey
Throat: black
Breast: tan, fine barring
Abdomen: tan-buff
Feet: conflicting info: red-purple or dark purple, or pinkish red
Range: Highlands of E. Zimbabwe, Mozambique
C. s. affinis
Culmen: pale blue-white
Facial skin: pale grey
Eyes: brown, can be yellow/brown
Ear Coverts: whitish
Neck:
Mantle: pale brown, no barring
Rump:
Chin:
Throat: light grey
Breast: little barring
Abdomen:
Feet: red
Range: NE Zimbabwe, Malawi, N Mozambique, S & coastal Tanzania
C. s. mombassicus
Culmen: blue-white
Forehead: dark brown
Facial skin: dark charcoal grey
Eyes: brown
Ear Coverts: contrasting
Neck: barred
Mantle: narrow barring, indistinct
Rump: paler than affinis
Chin: grey-white
Throat: whitish with broad barring
Breast: warn brown
Abdomen: light warm brown
Feet: red
Range: S Somalia, coastal Kenya, inland NE Tanzania
C. s. cinerascens
Culmen: blue-white
Forehead: brownish black
Facial skin: pale grey
Eyes: green grey to yellow
Ear Coverts: contrasting
Neck: barred
Mantle: olive brown
Rump: olive brown
Chin: dark brown
Throat: tan-grey, finely barred
Breast: broadly barred
Abdomen: warm brown
Feet: red
Range: SE Tanzania
http://www.birdquest.net/afbid/birdspecies.php?func=view&slideno=19&af_bs_id=906
Subspecies, C.s. cinerascens
Photo/copyright: Nik Borrow
Location: Lake Duluti, Tanzania
C. s. berlepschi
Culmen: blue-white
Facial skin: black
Eyes: brown, can also be yellow
Ear Coverts: contrasting
Neck: uniform and paler than cinerascens
Mantle: less olive-brown than cinerascens
Rump:
Chin: dusky to black, paler than cinerascens
Throat: very dark
Breast:
Abdomen:
Feet: red
Range: N Malawi, NE Zambia, SW Tanzania
C. s. kikuyensis
Culmen: blue-white, well defined
Facial skin: black
Eyes: brown
Ear Coverts: contrasting
Neck: finely barred
Mantle: deep rich brown to reddish brown
Rump: pale tannish-brown
Chin: grey/white
Throat: Dark brown-black feathers tipped with grey
Breast: dark brown to reddish brown, black barring
Abdomen: tan-grey
Feet: red
Range: Central Kenya, northern border of Tanzania
C. s. ugandensis
Culmen: blue-white
Forehead: brown-black
Facial skin: grey
Eyes: Yellow to pale yellow, with dark areas in front and behind pupil
Ear Coverts: contrasting
Neck: dark brownish black, crest paler than neck
Mantle: dark brown
Rump: light brown
Chin: brownish black
Throat: black
Breast: dark tannish brown
Abdomen: dark tan
Feet: red
Range: S Uganda, w Kenya, extreme NW Tanzania
Some photos on the internet
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gregbm/5147559513/
Subspecies: C.s. ugandensis
Photo: Greg Miles
Location: Narok, Rift Valley, Kenya
http://www.birdquest.net/afbid/birdspecies.php?func=view&slideno=10&af_bs_id=906
Subspecies; C.s. ugandensis
Photo: Atle Helge Qvale
Location: Lake Nakuru, Kenya
C. s. Kiwuenis, darker and warmer brown than other races
Culmen: blue-white
Forehead: brown tinged with black
Facial skin: dark charcoal grey
Eyes: pale grayish white, can be part yellow & grey/white or yellow a gr/grey
Ear Coverts: contrasting
Neck: faint barring
Mantle: deep dark brown, no barring
Rump: light brown
Chin: dusky brown-black
Throat: dusky black with grey-white tips
Breast: very dark grey-brown, faint barring
Abdomen: warn light brown
Feet: red
Range: Uganda, NW Tanzania, Rwanda, E Zaire
Some photos on the internet
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sm_Colius_striatus_kiwuensis.jpg
Subspecies C.s. kiwuensis
Photo/copyright: Lip Kee Yap
Location: Hôtel des Mille Collines (aka Hotel Rwanda), Kigali, Rwanda
C. s. congicus, darkest race, similar to the Red-backed, but without the chestnut/red rump, and smaller size
Culmen: blue-white
Forehead: dark brown
Facial skin: light charcoal grey
Eyes: brown, or can be pale yellow-grey or pale light green-grey
Ear Coverts: contrasting
Neck: dark brownish black
Mantle: very dark grey-brown, unbarred
Rump: tannish gey-brown
Chin: dark brown
Throat: brown-black, unbarred
Breast: very dark grey-brown, unbarred
Abdomen: grey-tan
Feet: red
Range: E Angola, S Zaire, NW Zambia
Some photos on the internet
http://media.photobucket.com/image/speckled%20mousebird/nkgray/Speckled_Mousebird8.jpg?o=6
Copyright Neil Gray
Speckled, Subspecies C.s. congicus
C. s. jebelensis
Culmen: blue-white
Forehead: dark brown-black
Facial skin: dark charcoal
Eyes: brown, can also be yellow, grey-green
Ear Coverts: very pale tannish white
Neck: grayish tan
Mantle: grayish, paler than kiweunis
Rump: grey-brown
Chin: black
Throat: black with white tipped edges
Breast: light tan
Abdomen: reddish tan
Feet: red
Range: Northern border of Uganda, S Sudan
Some photos on the internet
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Colius_striatus.jpg
Subspecies, C.s. jebelensis
Photo: Tom Tarrant
Location: Uganda, Buhoma, Bwindi NP
C. s. leucotis, palest race, farthest north. When young the eyes are brown, wing coverts broadly edged with buff.
Culmen: blue-white
Forehead: dark brown-black
Facial skin: dark grey
Eyes: range from sky blue to blue-white or blue-grey
Ear Coverts: grey, little contrast
Neck: pale grey-brown, barred
Mantle: pale grey-brown, narrow barring
Rump: tannish-grey
Chin: brown-grey
Throat: pale grey, faint barring
Breast: very pale buff-brown, narrow barring
Abdomen: very pale buff-brown
Feet: dark red
Range: E Sudan, W and SW Ethiopia, Eritrea
Some photos on the internet
http://ibc.lynxeds.com/photo/speckled-mousebird-colius-striatus/bird-tree
Photo by: Stefan Helming
Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Subspecies, C.s. leucotis
Young C.s. leucotis (notice the brown eyes)
http://ibc.lynxeds.com/photo/speckled-mousebird-colius-striatus/bird-basking-evening-sun
Photo: Stefan Helming
Location: Awash National Park, Ethiopia
http://www.birdquest.net/afbid/birdspecies.php?func=view&slideno=21&af_bs_id=906
Subspecies, C.s. leucotis pair dust bathing
Photo/copyright: Bernd de Bruijn
Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
http://tinyurl.com/2e3vhpn
Photo: Ian Fulton
Location: Bahir Dar
Subspecies C.s. leucotis
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ColiusSmit.jpg
Watercolor from 1886, Right- Colius leucotis
Left-Colius affinis
C. s. hilgerti, very similar to leucotis
Culmen: blue-white
Forehead: dark-brownish black
Facial skin: dark charcoal
Eyes: light steel blue-grey
Ear Coverts: pale brown-white, browner wash than leucotis
Neck: finely barred
Mantle: brown-grey, with barring
Rump: reddish-tan
Chin: dark brown-black
Throat: black, darker than leucotis
Breast: fine barring
Abdomen: light reddish-brown
Feet: red
Range: NE Ethiopia, SW Djibouti, NW Somalia
Some photos on the internet
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2009-0630-ColiStri-Ethiopia-BahirDar-029.jpg
Subspecies: C.s. hilgerti
Photo: Veli Pohjonen
Location: Mousebirds on a lake shore bush at Lake Tana, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
C. s. leucophthalmus, crest has a yellow tint, top of the head is pale, found in the upper-most center of Africa.
Culmen: pale blue-grey
Forehead: Black
Facial skin:
Eyes: white
Ear Coverts: brown
Neck: lightly barred, nape strongly barred
Mantle: lightly batted
Rump:
Chin:
Throat: black, like nigricollis
Breast: barred
Abdomen:
Feet: light red or pink
Range: NE Zaire, S Sudan, SE Central African Republic
C s. Erlangeri, darker than leucotis
Culmen: blue-white
Forehead: Brown-grey
Facial skin: charcoal grey
Eyes: blue-white or light blue-grey
Ear Coverts: white, contrasting
Neck: grayish-tan, barred
Mantle: distinctly barred
Rump: reddish tan
Chin: dark brown-grey
Throat: dark, contrasting barring
Breast: distinctly barred
Abdomen: reddish brown
Feet: red
Range: SE Sudan, Central and SW Ethiopia
Some photos on the internet
http://www.birdquest.net/afbid/birdspecies.php?func=view&slideno=18&af_bs_id=906
Subspecies C.s. erlangeri
Photo/copyright by: Ian Fulton
Location: Ethiopia
http://ibc.lynxeds.com/photo/speckled-mousebird-colius-striatus/close-head
Close-up of the head
Subspecies C.s. erlangeri
Photo/copyright:: Stefan Helming
Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
http://www.flickr.com/photos/curse10p/3360002358/sizes/l/in/photostream/
Photo/copyright: curse10p
Taken in Ethiopia
Subspecies, C.s. Erlanger
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ngari/3037776191/
Photo by: Ngari.Norway
Location: taken in Addis, Abba, Ethiopia
Subspecies, C.s. erlangeri
Races can be divided into three groups:
"nigricollis group" Vieillot, 1817 Dstributed in NW part of range, comprising races nigricollis and leucophthalmus in Ghana (Mole Game Park), and SE Nigeria (E of R Niger and Jos Plateau) E to SW Central African Republic and S to W Angola (Cabinda S to N Namibe) and SW Zaire. The subspecies leucophthalmus Chapin, 1921, Distribution: SE Central African Republic, NE Zaire and SW Sudan.
"leucotis group", Rüppell, 1839 including leucotis, hilgerti, erlangeri, kikuyensis, mombassicus, jebelensis, ugandensis, kiwuensis, congicus, cinerascens, affinis and berlepschi, E Sudan (Blue Nile) and W Ethiopia.
"striatus group" of S, with races simulans, rhodesiae, integralis, minor and striatus
Subspecies Speckled Mousebird, http://tinyurl.com/274b245
Click on each pix and it will show some of the subspecies, such ssp. Leucotis, ssp kikuyensis, ssp Erlangeri, ssp Kiwanis
Photos of Speckled in different parts of Africa.
http://www.birdquest.net/afbid/search.php?func=searchresult&af_bs_id=906
http://www.birdquest.net/afbid/randomimage.php?af_img_id=3120
Distribution
Cameroon, Eritrea, Ethiopia, south through eastern Africa to southern Africa.
Map showing some locations, and at the bottom of the page is sound clips of contact calls of the Speckled.
http://www.xeno-canto.org/africa/species.php?species_nr2=5947.00
Map of Distribution of the Speckled: http://tinyurl.com/36gvnxk
Another map: http://www.oiseaux.net/oiseaux/distribution/coliou.raye.html
Page stilI under construction...I will be adding more to this page soon...
©2009-2010 Susanne Russo, all rights reserved. Anything copied or printed from this site is for personal use ONLY. No portion of this site may be reproduced or distributed without the permission of Susanne Russo.
