Photo: DickDaniels (http://carolinabirds.org/) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
East Coast Akalat
Sheppardia gunningi
East Coast Akalat (Sheppardia gunningi) — 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 East Coast Akalat (Sheppardia gunningi) is a member of the Muscicapidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 17.3 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Muscicapidae Chats, Old World Flycatchers
- Genus Sheppardia
- Species gunningi
Quick facts
- Weight
- 17.3 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The East Coast 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 East Coast Akalat is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The East Coast Akalat (Sheppardia gunningi) belongs to the Muscicapidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF e, se.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 17.3 g, with a wing length of about 6.7 cm and a tail of around 5.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 58,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the East Coast Akalat?
The East Coast Akalat is a small bird that weighs around 17.3 g.
Where does the East Coast Akalat live?
The East Coast Akalat is found across Africa with a range covering AF e, se, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the East Coast Akalat belong to?
The East Coast Akalat (Sheppardia gunningi) belongs to the Muscicapidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the East Coast Akalat eat?
The East Coast Akalat is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the East Coast Akalat migrate?
The East Coast Akalat is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the East Coast Akalat endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the East Coast Akalat make?
1 real field recording of the East Coast Akalat — 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 East Coast Akalat's range?
The East Coast Akalat has a mapped global range of about 58,000 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.