Mousebirds: Coliiformes - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Bar-breasted Mousebird (colius Striatus): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, MOUSEBIRDS AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS
live birds trees africa
Mousebirds live in sub-Saharan Africa, in countries south of the Sahara Desert. Bar-breasted mousebirds range throughout most of that area. White-headed mousebirds live in Kenya and Tanzania. Chestnut-backed mousebirds live in the region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola. White-backed mousebirds and red-faced mousebirds live in southern Africa. Blue-naped mousebirds live in western, central, and eastern Africa.
Mousebirds live in forests where deciduous trees lose their leaves during dry or cold seasons. The birds live in grassland areas where there are fewer trees and grass grows. Some birds live in parks and in garden trees.
Mousebirds eat fruit, flowers, leaves, and buds. They sometimes eat insects.
Mousebirds damage trees, and that upsets people. They may poison or shoot the birds. Mousebirds sometimes die when pesticide is sprayed to kill insects. Not all birds are disliked; some people have bar-breasted mousebirds as cage birds.
Mousebirds are not in danger of extinction (dying out).
Additional Topics
Mousebirds are social and noisy. They live in flocks of six to twenty-four birds. The birds are sedentary, not usually migrating from one area to another. During the day, birds eat, drink water, and take dust baths. Mousebirds travel in flocks to feed. Some birds climb to the top of a tree or bush to begin their flights. Birds fly quickly and land by crashing head-first into plants. At night, a gr…
Physical characteristics: Bar-breasted mousebirds, also called speckled mousebirds, have mostly brownish gray plumage, and their crests are the same color. The length of the long-tailed birds ranges from 10.2 to 14.2 inches (26 to 36 centimeters). Weight ranges from 1.3 to 2.8 ounces (36 to 80 grams). The white-eared bar-breasted mousebirds of East Africa have white feathers on the sides of their …
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User Comments
about 2 years ago
Hi - I have just found a baby mouse bird on our doorstep. I believe the bird to be about 1.5 - 2 weeks old. any suggestions on how best to save it, really appreciated. At the moment we are keeping it warm, could liquidize fruit - concerned about dehydration and doing the right thing.