Photo: Derek Keats from Johannesburg, South Africa / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Chinspot Batis
Batis molitor
Chinspot Batis (Batis molitor) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 3 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Chinspot Batis (Batis molitor) is a member of the Platysteiridae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 11.6 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 Platysteiridae Wattle-eyes, Batises
- Genus Batis
- Species molitor
Quick facts
- Weight
- 11.6 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Platysteiridae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Chinspot Batis is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Chinspot Batis is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Chinspot Batis (Batis molitor) is a species of bird in the Platysteiridae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF c, s.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 11.6 g, with a wing length of about 6 cm and a tail of around 4.3 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 5.2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Chinspot Batis?
The Chinspot Batis is a very small bird that weighs around 11.6 g.
Where does the Chinspot Batis live?
The Chinspot Batis is found across Africa with a range covering AF c, s, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Chinspot Batis belong to?
The Chinspot Batis (Batis molitor) belongs to the Platysteiridae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Chinspot Batis eat?
The Chinspot Batis is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Chinspot Batis migrate?
The Chinspot Batis is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Chinspot Batis 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 Chinspot Batis make?
1 real field recording of the Chinspot Batis — 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 Chinspot Batis's range?
The Chinspot Batis has a mapped global range of about 5.2 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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