Chirping with Kloof Conservancy – The Cape Batis

THIS is a very endearing small bird that you are likely to come across in most of the well forested areas and gardens. It is not afraid of humans and you can often venture close to it while it looks at you with a quizzical, nodding head.

Description
This bird is about 13cm long and weighs about 12 grams. It may be quite tiny, but it is colourful so can be easily spotted and distinguished from other tiny birds. The males and females have different plumage. The males are easily distinguishable as they have a black breast band. The eyes of the females turn red during the breeding season.

In the Highway area it can be mistaken with the very similar Chinspot Batis, so onlookers need to look carefully to separate the two. The Cape Batis, both male and females, have rufus coloured wing bars while both sexes of the Chinspot Batis have white wing bars.

Distribution
This species can be found from the Western Cape all the way up the eastern part of South Africa, including the entirety of KwaZulu-Natal. It is also found on the east coast of Africa, as far north as Tanzania.

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Habitat
The Cape Batis can be found across a wide range of habitats including Afromontane forests, woodlands, plantations and wooded gardens.

Feeding
This species is almost exclusively an insect eater and will jump from branch to branch hunting larvae, caterpillars, spiders and beetles hiding in the bark. They will also take prey in the air and can often be spotted making short, fast flights as they catch their prey in mid-air.

Breeding
The Cape Batis is a monogamous species and partners stay together for life. They are a resident species so are present year-round and they will often nest in the same area year after year. Both male and female participate in a mating dance that involves undulating and rolling flights accompanied by much calling, which is most often a grating sound and not very musical.

Both the male and female build a small, neat nest that is usually placed on a horizontal branch of small shrub or tree approximately 3m above ground. They line the nest carefully with fine plant material and sometimes hair. The female usually lays one to three salmon pink eggs that she then incubates on her own. Sometimes a Klaas’s Cuckoo will parasitise the nest and the unwitting Batis will happily raise the impostor.

Predators and threats
Possibly due to its small size, it is not hunted by other birds and this species is generally not perceived to be under any significant threat. The fact that it will survive in relatively small patches of forest helps its cause for survival.

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Local information
Abundant in the Upper Highway, but you do need to look carefully for it as it is tiny and is often on the move. Most gardens in our area should have a breeding pair close by.

Interesting facts
Although its mating calls won’t win any music awards, their normal triple whistle song is not unpleasant and is described by many as cherra-warra-warra or whew-whew-whew.

Although this is a tiny species, it is very territorial and not scared to aggressively defend its patch, particularly near the nesting site. Any intruder, be it human or any other animal will get an earful of very loud cries of protest from both the male and female birds.

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Caxton Local Media Covid-19 reporting