Rufous-bellied Tit

Overview

The rufous-bellied tit (Melaniparus rufiventris) is a species of bird in the tit family found across various parts of Africa. Currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, it was formally described in 1877 by José Vicente Barbosa du Bocage.

Identification

• A small bird approximately 15 cm (5.9 in) in length.
• Features a black head, breast, wings, and tail with grey upperparts and white fringes on the wing feathers.
• Displays distinct rufous underparts.
• Adults possess a yellow eye, whereas juveniles have brown eyes.

Habitat

This species inhabits subtropical or tropical dry miombo forests. Its range extends across Africa from the Republic of the Congo, DR Congo and northern Namibia east to Tanzania and northern Mozambique.

Did you know?

Although the subspecies M. r. pallidiventris and M. r. stenotopicus were sometimes considered a separate species called the cinnamon-breasted tit based on iris color, a 2015 study found that birds with dark eyes and pale eyes could occur in the same flocks in western Tanzania.