Photo: Tom Field / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Brown-headed Apalis
Apalis alticola
Brown-headed Apalis (Apalis alticola) — 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 Brown-headed Apalis (Apalis alticola) is a member of the Cisticolidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 12.1 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 alticola
Quick facts
- Weight
- 12.1 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Cisticolidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Brown-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 Brown-headed Apalis is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Brown-headed Apalis (Apalis alticola) is a member of the Cisticolidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF c.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 12.1 g, with a wing length of about 5.5 cm and a tail of around 5.7 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 618,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Brown-headed Apalis?
The Brown-headed Apalis is a very small bird that weighs around 12.1 g.
Where does the Brown-headed Apalis live?
The Brown-headed Apalis is found across Africa with a range covering AF c, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Brown-headed Apalis belong to?
The Brown-headed Apalis (Apalis alticola) belongs to the Cisticolidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Brown-headed Apalis eat?
The Brown-headed Apalis is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Brown-headed Apalis migrate?
The Brown-headed Apalis is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Brown-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 Brown-headed Apalis make?
1 real field recording of the Brown-headed Apalis — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Brown-headed Apalis's range?
The Brown-headed Apalis has a mapped global range of about 618,000 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
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