Photo: Tom Tarrant / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Red-headed Malimbe
Malimbus rubricollis
Red-headed Malimbe (Malimbus rubricollis) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Red-headed Malimbe (Malimbus rubricollis) is a member of the Ploceidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 42.2 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 Ploceidae Weavers, Widowbirds
- Genus Malimbus
- Species rubricollis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 42.2 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Ploceidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Endangered
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Red-headed Malimbe 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 Red-headed Malimbe is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Red-headed Malimbe (Malimbus rubricollis) belongs to the Ploceidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF w, c.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 42.2 g, with a wing length of about 10.2 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.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 2.6 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Red-headed Malimbe?
The Red-headed Malimbe is a small bird that weighs around 42.2 g.
Where does the Red-headed Malimbe live?
The Red-headed Malimbe is found across Africa with a range covering AF w, c, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Red-headed Malimbe belong to?
The Red-headed Malimbe (Malimbus rubricollis) belongs to the Ploceidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Red-headed Malimbe eat?
The Red-headed Malimbe is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Red-headed Malimbe migrate?
The Red-headed Malimbe is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Red-headed Malimbe 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 Red-headed Malimbe make?
1 real field recording of the Red-headed Malimbe — 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 Red-headed Malimbe's range?
The Red-headed Malimbe has a mapped global range of about 2.6 million 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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