Rufous-eared Warbler

The rufous-eared warbler (Malcorus pectoralis) is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae. It is found in Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa. It is the only species in the genus Malcorus. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland. The rufous-eared warbler is a small passerine bird that gets its name from its distinct rufous-coloured ear-patches. The head and rear of the neck are brown and streaked with dark red while the belly and neck are greyish white, with a variable black breast-band that is absent from adults during winter. The mantle and back are mottled with greyish brown and blackish brown. The eyes are described as reddish hazel, with pinkish legs and a black bill. Although the sexes are similar in appearance the rufous-eared warblers are one of the few species of the family Cisticolidae that display sexual dimorphism, with female birds having paler ear-patches and a narrower breast-band than the males. Juveniles are paler, with a whiter belly and a narrower or absent breast-band. The subspecies M. p. ocularis is paler in colour, with a more tawny face and whiter under parts. M. p etoshae is even paler than M. p. ocularis, with wing-edges yellowish.