Alternative names: Scaly-breasted Thrush-Babbler; White-breasted Illadopsis
- Illadopsis albipectus
Identification
14cm (5½ in). A Thrush-like Babbler:
- Dark greyish-olive crown
- Upperparts and tail dark brown
- Grey lores and cheek
- Indisdinct pale grey supercilium
- Greyish-white chin and throat
- Pale grey upper breast, sometimes with vague dark scaling
Confusion species
Distinguished from very similar Pale-breasted Illadopsis mainly by voice. Note also the less defined breastband, the longer and paler legs and the shorter rictal bristles.
Distribution
Found in central Africa: Northern Democratic Republic of the Congo, southeastern Central African Republic, southern South Sudan, Uganda, western Kenya, and northwestern Tanzania; northwestern Angola
Common or even abundant in parts of its range, uncommon in others.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species.
The former subspecies trensei and barakae are no longer accepted.
Also placed in genus Malacocincla or Trichastoma.
Habitat
Dense ground cover in lowland primary forest, seasonal swamp-forest and transitional forest. Up to 2000m in Uganda.
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds on invertebrates (ants, small beetles, worker and soldier termites, caterpillars, milipedes, small snails).
Usually seen singly or in pairs, also in family parties. Forages mostly on the ground.
Breeding
Breeding season all year in Democratic Republic of the Congo. There is only one nest described which was a loose shallow cup made of rotting leaves. It was placed on the ground under a fern. Lays 2 eggs.
Movements
Resident species.
Gallery
Click on photo for larger image
References
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2007. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 12: Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553422
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2018. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2018. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Scaly-breasted Illadopsis. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 27 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Scaly-breasted_Illadopsis
