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Speckled Mousebird


Speckled Mousebird
Photo Information
Copyright: Peter van Zoest (PeterZ) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2392 W: 94 N: 5536] (17620)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-10-07
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon D70, AF Nikkor 70-300mm f4-5.6 G, Digital RAW
Exposure: f/4.5, 1/60 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-04-04 8:27
Viewed: 894
Points: 50
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
A bird I’ve seen many times in Africa in the pre-digital period. This photo is taken in the Blijdorp Zoo in Rotterdam.

The Speckled Mousebird (Colius striatus) is the largest species of mousebirds, as well as one of the most common. It is distributed from Cameroon east to Eritrea and Ethiopia, south through eastern Africa to southern South Africa. Most habitats are suitable for this species, except the rainforests and more arid areas. This mousebird prefers open bushveld habitats. It is widespread in savanna and open woodlands, as well as areas with tangled thickets.

This bird is about 35 cm long, with the tail comprising approximately half the length, and weighs about 57 grams. It is well-named, because it is dull-mousy brown in overall color on the back and on the head (including a prominent crest). The bill is black on the upper part and is a pinkish color on the lower part of the bill.

The Speckled Mousebird is a frugivore which subsists on fruits, berries, leaves, seeds and nectar, and is fairly catholic in its choice of food from area to area.

They are conspicuously social birds, feeding together and engaging in mutual preening. They also accompany each other when they go to ground to dust bathe (also to occasionally to swallow pebbles to assist in grinding up vegetation as they digest it). Upon nightfall, they roost in very tight groups of 20 or so birds and on cold nights they can become torpid. Being in a torpid state could make them easy prey, but the large groups are apparently effective enough to deter most nocturnal predators.

These creatures may breed at any time of the year. The nest is a large (for the bird) and untidy cup comprised of vegetable and animal material (sometimes including cloth and paper) and is constructed by both the male and female. The clutch can range anywhere from 1 to 7 eggs (apparently based on latitude), but usually averages around 3 or 4. Nestlings are fed not only by both parents but also by helpers, which usually consist of juveniles from previous clutches. The incubation period takes 14 days and the offspring will leave the nest for the first time at about 17 or 18 days. After a little over a month, the nestlings will begin foraging for themselves.

The Speckled Mousebird is not known for its voice, in the way a songbird is. It is a noisy creature usually, making a warbling tsu-tsu call while in flight. It has an alarm call described as tisk-tisk.

(This information comes from different sources)
boreocypriensis, pekkavalo1, Luis52, jaycee, nglen, Hil, Juyona, darwin, Adanac, marhowie, albert, hester, warnzy, aido, ramthakur, eqshannon, Alex99, SelenE, Maite has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Peter,My beloved friend!
Superb shot of this beauty in all aspects! TFS. Have nice weeks in TN without me during our trips! All the best!
Cheers,
Bayram

Hello Peter
This is a bird that is totally new to me and you have shown him very well against a great oof bg..Perhaps just a little to much sharpening?...A great picture all the same and tfs.
Best Regards
Paul

Hello Peter,

Very funny looking bird. Good pose, composition and natural colours. Quite sharp.

TFS

Pekka

  • Great 
  • Luis52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1110 W: 5 N: 3457] (12761)
  • [2008-04-04 9:49]

Hola Peter.
Never seen this bird before. I like his colors and the tail is beautiful and very long. Great image Peter. TFS My friend.
Luis52.

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2909 W: 34 N: 8636] (32186)
  • [2008-04-04 10:37]

Hi Peter. Such a strange looking bird which you have captured a fine picture. good detail and colours. It has a very long tail for a small bird. a nice POV/DOf. well done TFS.
Nick,,

  • Great 
  • Hil Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 705 W: 13 N: 1405] (5027)
  • [2008-04-04 11:22]

Hi Peter

Great shot of a bird that is new to me, infact I have never heard of Mousebirds, nicely composed with a great POV and a lovely pose, very good feather detail with lovely colours and a really nice BG.

Hil

  • Great 
  • Juyona Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2262 W: 10 N: 2630] (15567)
  • [2008-04-04 13:48]

Hola Peter,
extraña ave,
original trabajo y pov,
buen disparo,
saludos

  • Great 
  • darwin Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 260 W: 0 N: 403] (1393)
  • [2008-04-04 15:46]

Hi Peter
Another unusual capture that i have not seen before
Nice details and color
Well composed and framed
tfs jon

hello Peter, a very sharp shot indeed. Excellent eye contact, fine pose and a good tight composition. An amazing looking bird, never seen one before. tfs have a good wkend. rgds Necip

Hallo Peter,

mooie plaat van deze vogel.
vlijmscherp en goed van kleur.

groet Gert

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3067 W: 231 N: 6160] (21052)
  • [2008-04-04 23:12]

Hello, Peter.
What a funny looking bird. : )
Amazing long tail. Good eye contact.
Sharp details on the pattern in the plumage.
I like his hairdo. ; )
TFS : )

I like most the vertical composition Peter.
Good exposure, color, and details. The bird is well seen from your BG as well :)
Nice shot,
Howard

Hello Peter
Nice shot of this mouse bird
TFS
Albert

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2493 W: 11 N: 6885] (21912)
  • [2008-04-05 9:14]

Hi Peter,

Another amazing looking bird which is completely new to me. The beak, crest and eye are all fantastic. Wonderful colors and sharp details. The tail is quite a sight. Excellent composition on the diagonal branch.

Jane

  • Great 
  • hester Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1515 W: 18 N: 3165] (11638)
  • [2008-04-05 11:55]

Hi Peter

What a great looking bird. I have never heard of these before. Lovely composition, great POV, excellent DOF and very sweet pose

TFS

Karan

  • Great 
  • Adanac Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1169 W: 1 N: 5208] (17609)
  • [2008-04-05 18:19]

Hello Peter,
What alovely species you introduce me to here. That tail and its plumage markings are excellent. Great work Peter, thank you for sharing.
Rick

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1899 W: 36 N: 5579] (18518)
  • [2008-04-05 21:39]

Hi Peter,
Wonderful shot of this charming bird with such amazing details and colours on its plumage. Good use of flash lighting with great expression on its eye. A fine pose captured with perfect DOF and a well chosen POV. Very nicely composed. Kudos.
TFS.
Sumon

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2008-04-05 23:10]

Hello Peter

Another interesting and unusual bird.
The plumage detail is well captured with lovely colours and feather definition.
excellent eye contact with a nice glint.
Nicely composed on a perch that is unobstructed.
Well done.
TFS

Rob

Hi Peter,

I really like this one; the composition is great and I love the pose from the bird. The pov and dof are perfect and I love the natural colours and light.

Mike

  • Great 
  • aido Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor [C: 1044 W: 156 N: 1218] (4046)
  • [2008-04-06 17:37]

Hello Peter,
You have some amazing birds in your gallery here, some I've never seen or heard of before. This is a beautiful creature and a nicely framed image. I like the lines created by the bird and the tree, there is great balance there. A little oversharpened but a great image.
Regards,
Adrian

My first sighting of a Speckled Mousebird, Peter. It is unique in its appearance.
Though a bigger image would have been better, it is still a sharp and precise capture showing the features of this rather large bird.
TFS and regards.
Ram

bonjour peter
j'ai l'impression que vous avez trop reduit l'image mais j'aime bien l'ensemble,le BG est bien fait et l'oiseau tres net.
laurent

It is as speckled as the tree. Funny how nature is like that at times..A nice perch for the aviary portrait. Sharp with very earthy and natural colours. Perfect lighting under all circumstances..Nicely done!
Bob

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3585 W: 143 N: 5669] (18533)
  • [2008-04-10 11:10]

Hi Peter.
Superbly composed shot of an amazing bird at so impressive, simply wonderful scenery. Terrific sharpness of the tree and bird, superb BG and very impressive strong vertical cropping. Bravo. Perfect job.
Alexei.

  •      
  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2405 W: 63 N: 4227] (13822)
  • [2008-04-16 23:33]

Hi Peter,
Very nice capture of this beautiful bird. I liked the lighting, background and color tones. TFS (pt)
Best wishes,
Selen

  • Great 
  • Maite Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1007 W: 64 N: 1266] (5195)
  • [2008-05-07 2:44]

What a curious beautiful bird this Speckled Mousebird, Peter! A really interesting species and a fantastic capture with great sharpness, POV, DOF and composition.
Thank you very much for sharing.
Best regards
Maite

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