From Opus

Photo by Tichodroma
Location: Namibia

Emberiza tahapisi

[edit] Identification

Length 15 cm, mass 15 g. Adult male: Head boldly striped black and white; mantle to upper tail coverts cinnamon with dark brown markings.Tail and flight feathers dark brown, edged cinnamon. Underparts cinnamon. Adult female: Similar to the male, but paler; above less reddish.

[edit] Distribution

Africa south of the Sahara.

[edit] Taxonomy

Subspecies (Fry et al, 2004): E. t. tahapisi: Sudan, southern Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, south to South Africa. E. t. goslingi: Gambia to Sudan west of the Nile and north-eastrn Zaire. E. t. septemstriata: Sudan east of the Nile and Ethiopia E. t. insularis: Socotra

[edit] Habitat

Rocky and eroded areas and croplands, favoring patches of bare soil.

[edit] Behaviour

Some birds migrate but patterns of movement are not clear, others are resident. Solitary, in pairs, or in small groups. Forages on the ground for seeds and insects.

[edit] References

1. Hockey PAR, Dean WRJ & Ryan PG (eds) 2005. Robert's Birds of Southern Africa, 7th edition. John Voelcker Bird Book Fund, Cape Town, South Africa. ISBN 0620340533
2. Fry H, Keith S,Woodcook M & Willis I. 2004. Birds of Africa Vol VII: Sparrows to Buntings. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0713665319

[edit] External Links