Batis (bird)

"For other uses, see Batis (disambiguation)."Taxobox
name = "Batis"


image_caption = Pririt Batis.
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Passeriformes
familia = Platysteiridae
genus = "Batis"
genus_authority = Boie, 1833
subdivision_ranks = species
subdivision = "See text"

"Batis" is a genus of passerine birds in the wattle-eye family. Its species are resident in Africa south of the Sahara. They were previously classed as a subfamily of the Old World flycatcher family, Muscicapidae.

They are small stout insect-eating birds, usually found in open forests or bush. The nest is a small neat cup low in a tree or bush. They hunt by flycatching, or by taking prey from the ground like a shrike.

"Batis" species are strikingly patterned, typically with a grey crown, black eye mask, dark back, and paler underparts, often with a coloured or black breast band and white on the throat which contrasts strongly with the black eye stripe. Male and female plumages usually differ.

The song is typically a descending triple whistle.

pecies in taxonomic order

* Boulton's Batis, "Batis margaritae"
* Short-tailed Batis, "Batis mixta"
** Reichenow's Batis, "Batis (mixta) reichenowi"
* Dark Batis, "Batis crypta"
* Ruwenzori Batis, "Batis diops"
* Cape Batis, "Batis capensis"
* Woodward's Batis, "Batis fratrum"
* Chinspot Batis, "Batis molitor"
* Pale Batis, "Batis soror"
* Pririt Batis, "Batis pririt"
* Senegal Batis, "Batis senegalensis"
* Grey-headed Batis, "Batis orientalis"
* Black-headed Batis, "Batis minor"
* Pygmy Batis, "Batis perkeo"
* Verreaux's Batis, "Batis minima"
* Ituri Batis, "Batis ituriensis"
* Fernando Po Batis, "Batis poensis"
* West African Batis, "Batis occulta"
* Angola Batis, "Batis minulla"

References

*Fjeldså, Jon; Bowie, Rauri C. K. & Kiure, Jacob (2006) [http://www.zmuc.dk/VerWeb/Tanzanian_Vertebrates/Bird/Bird_type/Batis_crypta_95.264/95.264_Batis_crypta.pdf The forest batis, "Batis mixta", is two species: description of a new, narrowly distributed "Batis" species in the Eastern Arc biodiversity hotspot.] , "Journal of Ornithology", 147 (4): 578-590.
* Ian Sinclair, Phil Hockey and Warwick Tarboton, "SASOL Birds of Southern Africa" (Struik 2002) ISBN 1-86872-721-1