Red-capped forest warbler facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Red-capped forest warbler |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Artisornis
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| Species: |
metopias
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| Synonyms | |
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Prinia metopias (protonym) |
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The red-capped forest warbler (Artisornis metopias) is a small, lively songbird. It is also known as the African tailorbird. This bird belongs to the Cisticolidae family. You can find it in Mozambique and Tanzania.
These warblers live in special places. Their natural habitat is moist montane forests. These are forests found on mountains, usually between 1,600 and 2,500 meters high.
Understanding This Bird's Name
The red-capped forest warbler was first officially described in 1907. A German bird expert named Anton Reichenow gave it its first scientific name. He studied a bird found in the Usambara Mountains of Tanzania.
Reichenow called it Prinia metopias. The word metopias comes from an old Greek word. It means "having a high forehead." Later, in 1928, an American bird expert named Herbert Friedmann placed this warbler in a new group. This group is called Artisornis. The long-billed forest warbler is also in this group.
Different Types of Red-capped Warblers
Scientists recognize two main types, or subspecies, of the red-capped forest warbler:
- A. m. metopias (Reichenow, 1907) – This type lives in northeast Tanzania and northwest Mozambique.
- A. m. altus (Friedmann, 1927) – This type is found in the Uluguru Mountains in eastern Tanzania.
What Does This Warbler Look Like?
The red-capped forest warbler is a small bird. It is about 10 centimeters (4 inches) long. It weighs around 8.4 grams, which is about as much as two nickels.
Its back and upper parts are olive-brown. The middle of its throat down to its belly is whitish. Its sides are a bit grey. The top of its head, called the crown, is a rich chestnut brown. Its ear-coverts (feathers covering its ears) and the sides of its neck are also this color. Young warblers have a pale yellow color on their undersides.
