Cape penduline tit

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Cape penduline tit
Southern Penduline-Tit (Anthoscopus minutus).jpg

Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Remizidae
Genus: Anthoscopus
Species:
A. minutus
Binomial name
Anthoscopus minutus
(Shaw, 1812)
Anthoscopus minutus distribution map.png

The Cape penduline tit or southern penduline tit (Anthoscopus minutus) is a species of bird in the family Remizidae.It is found in Angola, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are dry savannah, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, and Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation. At 8 cm (3.1 in) in length, it is one of the smallest species of bird found in Africa, along with its cousins the grey penduline tit and the mouse-coloured penduline tit.[2][3]

They build a globular nest made of the webs of Stegodyphus spiders as well as silken fibre from various plants. An entrance hole is made on the side and towards the end, a false entry and chamber are constructed below the actual entrance to the nest chamber. The spout at the entrance has a separating septum with the entrance to the actual nest chamber at the upper portion, the septum pushed up with its forehead to close the upper entrance by the bird just before leaving the nest so as to show only the main entrance leading into a blind chamber. This is a defence against snakes and other nest predators.[4][5]

References[]

  1. ^ BirdLife International (2016). "Anthoscopus minutus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22711679A94306171. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22711679A94306171.en. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  2. ^ Sinclair, Ian (1995). Southern African Birds: A Photographic Guide. ISBN 9781770072442.
  3. ^ Field Guide to the Birds of East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi by Stevenson & Fanshawe. Elsevier Science (2001), ISBN 978-0856610790
  4. ^ Collias, Nicholas E.; Collias, Elsie C. (1984). "Predators and Nests". Nest Building and Bird Behavior. Nest Building and Bird Behavior. Princeton University Press. pp. 142–163. doi:10.1515/9781400853625.142. ISBN 978-1-4008-5362-5.
  5. ^ Skead, C. J. (1959). "A study of the Cape penduline tit Anthoscopus minutus minutus (Shaw and Nodder)". Ostrich. 30 (sup1): 274–288. doi:10.1080/00306525.1959.9633335. ISSN 0030-6525.

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