Silverbird

The Silverbird, Empidornis semipartitus, presents a striking figure in the avian world. This Old World flycatcher boasts a silvery grey plumage on its upper parts, contrasting beautifully with the tawny orange that adorns its underparts. A relatively small bird, the Silverbird measures approximately 18 cm in length and tips the scales at a mere 22 to 23 grams.

Identification Tips

Adult Silverbirds can be identified by their unique coloration: a shimmering silver-grey on top and a warm tawny orange below. Juveniles, however, display black-bordered tawny spots on their upper parts and exhibit a mottled buff and black pattern on their throats and breasts.

Habitat

The Silverbird is a denizen of open areas, often found gracing the landscapes west of the Rift Valley.

Distribution

This species is native to Eastern Africa, with its range extending from Sudan down through to Tanzania.

Behaviour

The Silverbird is a creature of the open lands, where it can be observed engaging in its flycatching pursuits.

Song & Calls

The vocal repertoire of the Silverbird consists of short, slightly thrush-like phrases. Calls may end with a higher, thinner note, reminiscent of "eee-sleeur-eeee" or "sweet siursur-eet-seet." Additionally, it produces a longer "eep-eep churEErip, eep-eep cherip chch chchch eee," which is often adorned with chattering and seep notes.

Conservation status

The IUCN Red List has classified the Silverbird as Least Concern, indicating that, for now, this species does not face any imminent threat of extinction.