Cape Batis (Batis capensis)

Other Names (World)
Cape Batis, Puff-back Flycatcher, Malawi Batis (sola, dimorpha)

Family
Platysteiridae (Batises And Wattle-eyes)

Size
10 cm

First Described (Guide)
(Linnaeus, 1766)

Habitat
Subtropical and tropical lowland and montane moist forest, temperate forest. From sea-level - 2,450 m.

Range (Guide)

Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.

Population
Estimated population is unknown (2011).

Status LC
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Voice
Song is a whistled 'foo foo foo'. Also pish-like 'shwee ksh ksh ksh ksha'.

Xeno-Canto Sound Files (more (93)...)

Cape Batis (Batis capensis) [XC62406]
by Peter Boesman from Nahoon Nature Reserve, South Africa (call)

Cape Batis (Batis capensis) [XC397861]
by Peter Boesman from Chowo forest, Nyika NP, Zambia (call)

Subspecies
Malawi Batis (Batis dimorpha) and Cape Batis (Batis capensis) (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) have been lumped into Batis capensis following Dowsett and Forbes-Watson (1993). This treatment is under review by the BirdLife Taxonomic Working Group.

Forms a superspecies with Reichenow's Batis (Batis reichenowi), Forest Batis (Batis mixta), Dark Batis (Batis crypta) and Woodwards' Batis (Batis fratrum), probably also with Margaret's Batis (Batis margaritae) and Ruwenzori Batis (Batis diops). Sometimes considered conspecific with Reichenow's Batis (Batis reichenowi). Along with Reichenow's Batis (Batis reichenowi), subspecies dimorpha and sola regarded by some authors as intergrades with Forest Batis (Batis mixta), or as subspecies of a separate species (male plumage differences greater than those between several reputedly "good" species). Further study required. Further, nominate subspecies and hollidayi possibly overlap geographically in eastern South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal), indicating that latter may represent a separate species. Population on Mt Namuli, in northern Mozambique, currently placed in dimorpha, but may represent a separate, as yet undescribed subspecies.

The following 6 subspecies are recognised:

sola Lawson, 1964 - Northern Malawi and, locally, Zambia (Nyika Plateau, Mukuta and Mafinga Mts).
dimorpha (Shelley, 1893) - Mountains of central and southern Malawi, and adjacent northern Mozambique (Mt Namuli). Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Malawi Batis (Batis dimorpha).
kennedyi Smithers & Paterson, 1956 - Matopo Hills, in south-western Zimbabwe.
erythrophthalma Swynnerton, 1907 - Eastern highlands of Zimbabwe and adjacent Mozambique.
hollidayi Clancey, 1952 - North-eastern South Africa (southern from Soutpansberg), Swaziland and adjacent southern Mozambique (Lebombo Highlands).
capensis (Linnaeus, 1766) - Southern South Africa (Western Cape east to western Kwazulu-Natal) and eastern Lesotho.

References
See References.

Files:

JPG files for Cape Batis (Batis capensis) - 10 files

More Information

BirdLife International

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BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

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