Blue-naped Mousebird

Overview

The blue-naped mousebird (Urocolius macrourus) is a species of bird in the family Coliidae, also known as the blue-naped coly. It is one of the remaining six species of mousebirds, a name derived from its habit of running along branches in a manner that resembles the scurrying of a mouse.

Identification

• Fairly small to medium-sized bird measuring 33–38 cm in length, featuring an elongated tail and a long crest.
• Adults display ash-grey plumage that is darker on top and lighter below, with a distinct bright turquoise-blue patch on the nape and hindneck.
• Crimson-red bare skin covers the lores and around the eyes, while most of the upper mandible is crimson-red and the rest of the bill is black; feet are purplish red.
• Vocalisations include a distinct, resonant "tieee" whistle every 3–5 seconds when perched, and a shorter version at longer intervals while foraging.

Habitat

Found in the semi-desert and dry regions of West to East Africa, including the Sahel. The species has an extremely large range, extending from Senegambia to east Ethiopia, the Sahel from Mali to Eritrea, and parts of East Africa such as Sudan, Kenya, and Tanzania.

Diet

Primarily relies on fruits, but also consumes leaves, flowers, and buds, with a preference for dates and cultivated fruits such as those from the Azadirachta indica tree. In regions like Niger and Chad, the berries of the Salvadora persica plant are especially crucial. These birds forage in groups, often gathering in flocks of up to 50 around a single fruiting tree and moving along established routes between trees.

Did you know?

The blue-naped mousebird possesses widely spaced, large, pamprodactylous feet that allow it to rotate all four toes to face forward, enabling it to climb, hang by a toenail, and use one foot to hold food. It is one of the few common arboreal bird species that forages in groups, often travelling from one known fruiting tree to another.