Photo: DickDaniels (http://carolinabirds.org/) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Equatorial Akalat
Sheppardia aequatorialis
Equatorial Akalat (Sheppardia aequatorialis) — 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 Equatorial Akalat (Sheppardia aequatorialis) is a member of the Muscicapidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 16.8 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 Muscicapidae Chats, Old World Flycatchers
- Genus Sheppardia
- Species aequatorialis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 16.8 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Endangered
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Equatorial Akalat 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 Equatorial Akalat is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Equatorial Akalat (Sheppardia aequatorialis) is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF e, c.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 16.8 g, with a wing length of about 6.7 cm and a tail of around 5 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 137,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Equatorial Akalat?
The Equatorial Akalat is a small bird that weighs around 16.8 g.
Where does the Equatorial Akalat live?
The Equatorial Akalat is found across Africa with a range covering AF e, c, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Equatorial Akalat belong to?
The Equatorial Akalat (Sheppardia aequatorialis) belongs to the Muscicapidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Equatorial Akalat eat?
The Equatorial Akalat is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Equatorial Akalat migrate?
The Equatorial Akalat is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Equatorial Akalat 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 Equatorial Akalat make?
1 real field recording of the Equatorial Akalat — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Equatorial Akalat's range?
The Equatorial Akalat has a mapped global range of about 137,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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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.
Meet the Muscicapidae
A field guide to the Muscicapidae family — 355 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.