Redfaced Mousebird They Overlap, It Is More Frequently Observed Foraging in Rooiwangmuisvoël Monospecific Flocks
636 Coliidae: mousebirds
unpredictably (Rowan 1967), particularly in drier areas (Herremans & Herremans-Tonnoeyr 1994a). Furthermore, it varies in abundance between years in the southwestern Cape Province (Rowan 1967; Hockey et al. 1989). Breeding: There are records throughout the year, with a marked spring/summer (September–January) peak in breeding in most of southern Africa. Breeding is earlier in the southwestern Cape Prov- ince (Zone 4) and in Zimbabwe (Zone 5), peaking September–October, while it is progressively later in the east with increasing latitude. The atlas data agree with previous information on breeding sea- sonality (Winterbottom 1968a; Dean 1971; Irwin 1981; Tarboton et al. 1987b). Interspecific relationships: It overlaps widely with Speckled Colius striatus and Whitebacked C. colius Mousebirds. It generally occurs in drier woodlands than the Speckled Mousebird, and also occurs in a wider range of vegetation types than both the Speckled and Whitebacked Mousebirds. Where Redfaced Mousebird they overlap, it is more frequently observed foraging in Rooiwangmuisvoël monospecific flocks. Historical distribution and conservation: The distri- Urocolius indicus bution has not changed substantially from that given by Rowan (1967), and there is no evidence of local extinctions The Redfaced Mousebird is widespread in savanna wood- or gross changes in range. However, atlas records suggest lands in Africa south of the equator. It is widely distributed that it is less continuously distributed along the Orange in southern Africa, but only sparsely in the western Karoo River than previously (Rowan 1967) and may indicate interior and arid savanna on granitic sands. It enters the changes in the distribution in this area, where Whitebacked northern Namib Desert via the larger westward-flowing Mousebird is now more common. ephemeral rivers, occurring almost to the coast along the The Redfaced Mousebird is not threatened in any part Kuiseb River. There were relatively few records from the of its range in southern Africa. eastern Transvaal and Swaziland highveld grassland, and W.R.J. Dean the grasslands of the KwaZulu-Natal interior, Lesotho and Transkei. Four subspecies are recognized in southern Africa (Clancey 1980b), and the northernmost U. i. mossambicus Recorded in 2675 grid cells, 59.0% along the Zambezi Valley appears marginally separated Total number of records: 37 489 from the other races. From Tanzania northwards and Mean reporting rate for range: 29.1% throughout the northern savannas to West Africa it is replaced by a close relative, the Bluenaped Mousebird Urocolius macrourus (Fry et al. 1988). It usually occurs in small flocks of 3–10 birds (Tarboton Reporting rates for vegetation types et al. 1987b; Penry 1994; pers. obs.), but sometimes up to % 02550 20 (Maclean 1993b). This is a distinctive species, and con- fusion between it and other mousebirds is unlikely in Miombo 42.3 southern Africa; the atlas data can be considered reliable. Moist Woodland 42.3 Habitat: Like other mousebirds in southern Africa, its Central Kalahari 36.8 distribution and occurrence in certain vegetation types Arid Woodland 36.6 have been influenced by the presence of suburban gardens, Sweet Grasslands 36.6 fruit farming and irrigated agriculture, and this may be the Okavango 34.4 cause of the relatively high reporting rates from the Sweet, Grassy Karoo 32.1 Mixed and Sour Grasslands. It is commonest in savanna Nama Karoo 29.5 woodlands, and was most frequently reported from rela- Mixed Grasslands 25.0 tively moist woodlands; but it occurs in all types of wood- Valley Bushveld 24.7 land and shrubland, avoiding only forest and open grass- Sour Grasslands 22.9 land. In the southern Karoo, it forages in dwarf shrublands Mopane 21.8 and feeds at isolated fruiting shrubs well away from Northern Kalahari 17.5 wooded drainage lines. It occurs in thickets of alien Aca- Fynbos 16.7 cia spp. and roosts in eucalypts in the southwestern Cape Succulent Karoo 16.0 Province (Rowan 1967; Hockey et al. 1989). Namibian Escarpment 12.7 Movements: The models show some evidence of sea- Southern Kalahari 11.3 sonal movements, with lower reporting rates in the drier E Zimbabwe Highlands 10.4 western interior (Zone 3) and higher reporting rates in the East Coast Littoral 8.2 moister east (Zone 7) in winter. Like other mousebirds, it Namib 6.7 is locally nomadic, and flocks may move about somewhat Afromontane Forest 6.0 Coliidae: mousebirds 637
14û
REDFACED MOUSEBIRD 5 1 18û
22û 2 6
26û
3 7 30û Reporting rate (%) > 38.5 18.8 — 38.5 2.0 — 18.7
< 2.0 34û 4 8 18û 22û 26û 14û 30û 10û 34û
40 40 1 5 20 20
40 40 2 6 20 20
40 40 3 7 20 20
40 Occurrence reporting rate (%) 40 4 8 Breeding reporting rate (%) 20 20
J ASONDJ FMAMJ J ASONDJ FMAMJ Models of seasonality for Zones. Number of records (top to bottom, left to right): Occurrence: 410, 264, 810, 1580, 2785, 3711, 3748, 893; Breeding: 7, 8, 17, 31, 30, 69, 90, 20.