Photo: Francesco Veronesi from Italy / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-headed Apalis
Apalis melanocephala
Black-headed Apalis (Apalis melanocephala) — 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 Black-headed Apalis (Apalis melanocephala) is a member of the Cisticolidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 8.8 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 Cisticolidae Cisticolas & Allies
- Genus Apalis
- Species melanocephala
Quick facts
- Weight
- 8.8 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Cisticolidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black-headed Apalis 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 Black-headed Apalis is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black-headed Apalis (Apalis melanocephala) is a species of bird in the Cisticolidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF e.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 8.8 g, with a wing length of about 4.9 cm and a tail of around 5.9 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 376,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-headed Apalis?
The Black-headed Apalis is a very small bird that weighs around 8.8 g.
Where does the Black-headed Apalis live?
The Black-headed Apalis is found across Africa with a range covering AF e, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Black-headed Apalis belong to?
The Black-headed Apalis (Apalis melanocephala) belongs to the Cisticolidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Black-headed Apalis eat?
The Black-headed Apalis is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Black-headed Apalis migrate?
The Black-headed Apalis is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black-headed Apalis 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 Black-headed Apalis make?
1 real field recording of the Black-headed Apalis — 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 Black-headed Apalis's range?
The Black-headed Apalis has a mapped global range of about 376,000 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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