Animalia Life
Campephaga phoenicea
TAXONOMY
Ampelis phoenicea Latham, 1790, Gambia.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
French: Echenilleur а йpaulettes rouges; German: Mohrenraupenfresser;
Spanish: Oruguero de Hombros Rojos.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
8 in (20 cm); 0.8–1.3 oz (23–35.5 g). Male black with red or
orange shoulder-patch; female heavily barred below.
DISTRIBUTION
South Mauritania, Senegal and Gambia east to Ethiopia and
south to north DRC, Uganda, and west Kenya.
HABITAT
Bushes and small trees in forest patches, secondary growth,
wooded grassland, and thickets in savanna.
BEHAVIOR
Usually occurs singly or in pairs; unobtrusive and mainly silent.
Flight is undulating and low between trees. Sedentary or nomadic.
In Nigeria and Sudan, it moves north to breed during rains.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Eats caterpillars and other insects, especially Orthoptera and
Hemiptera. Forages mainly by gleaning from leaves and
branches; also takes prey on ground and in flycatching sallies.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Breeds May–September, during rains. Monogamous. Nest is a
small, shallow cup of moss, lichens, and spider webs, and is
well concealed in fork of leafless tree. Lays two eggs.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Widespread and uncommon to locally common; not threatened.
There is no information on effects of habitat loss.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
None known.
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