- Turdoides squamiceps
Identification
26-29 cm. Long curved bill, long tail, rounded wings and strong legs and feet, grey-brown above, paler below. There are dark streaks on the back and the throat is whitish.
Distribution
Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Yemen and western Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel and eastern Sinai.
Taxonomy
There is one subspecies, T s squamiceps.
Habitat
Scrubland and savanna.
Behaviour
The diet includes insects, small vertebrates, leaves, berries and seeds.
It builds a large cup shaped nest from grass, twigs and other plant material. 3-5 turquoise eggs are laid which are incubated for 13 to 14 days; the young birds fledge after about 14 days.