Chestnut wattle-eye

Platysteira castanea

Photo by David Greyo (Oiseaux)

Common name:
chestnut wattle-eye (en); olho-carunculado-castanho (pt); pririt châtain (fr); ojicarunculado castaño (es); weißbürzel-lappenschnäpper (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Platysteiridae

Range:
This African species is found from Guinea to South Sudan, Uganda and Kenya, and through Gabon and D.R. Congo down to northern Angola.

Size:
These birds are 10-11 cm long and weigh 13-16 g.

Habitat:
The chestnut wattle-eye is found in moist forests and savannas, swamps and rural gardens, from sea level up to an altitude of 1.800 m.

Diet:
They feed on various insects.

Breeding:
The chestnut wattle-eye is monogamous. They nest in a small cup, where the female lays 1-2 glossy blue-green eggs. The female incubates the eggs alone for 17 days. There is no information regarding the fledgling period.

Conservation:
IUCN status – LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is reported to be uncommon to abundant.
The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.