Photo: Francesco Veronesi from Italy / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
African Hill Babbler
Sylvia abyssinica
African Hill Babbler (Sylvia abyssinica) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The African Hill Babbler (Sylvia abyssinica) is a member of the Sylviidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 18.8 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Sylviidae Sylviid Babblers
- Genus Sylvia
- Species abyssinica
Quick facts
- Weight
- 18.8 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Sylviidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The African Hill Babbler is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The African Hill Babbler is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The African Hill Babbler (Sylvia abyssinica) is a species of bird in the Sylviidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF w, e.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 18.8 g, with a wing length of about 6.7 cm and a tail of around 6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 387,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the African Hill Babbler?
The African Hill Babbler is a small bird that weighs around 18.8 g.
Where does the African Hill Babbler live?
The African Hill Babbler is found across Africa with a range covering AF w, e, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the African Hill Babbler belong to?
The African Hill Babbler (Sylvia abyssinica) belongs to the Sylviidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the African Hill Babbler eat?
The African Hill Babbler is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the African Hill Babbler migrate?
The African Hill Babbler is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the African Hill Babbler endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the African Hill Babbler make?
1 real field recording of the African Hill Babbler — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the African Hill Babbler's range?
The African Hill Babbler has a mapped global range of about 387,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Sylviidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.