Photo: Steve Garvie from Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Grey-headed Bristlebill
Bleda canicapillus
Grey-headed Bristlebill (Bleda canicapillus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
The Grey-headed Bristlebill (Bleda canicapillus) is a member of the Pycnonotidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 41.3 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 Pycnonotidae Bulbuls
- Genus Bleda
- Species canicapillus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 41.3 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Pycnonotidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Grey-headed Bristlebill is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Grey-headed Bristlebill is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Grey-headed Bristlebill (Bleda canicapillus) is a member of the Pycnonotidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF w.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 41.3 g, with a wing length of about 9.8 cm and a tail of around 9.1 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 1.1 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Grey-headed Bristlebill?
The Grey-headed Bristlebill is a small bird that weighs around 41.3 g.
Where does the Grey-headed Bristlebill live?
The Grey-headed Bristlebill is found across Africa with a range covering AF w, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Grey-headed Bristlebill belong to?
The Grey-headed Bristlebill (Bleda canicapillus) belongs to the Pycnonotidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Grey-headed Bristlebill eat?
The Grey-headed Bristlebill is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Grey-headed Bristlebill migrate?
The Grey-headed Bristlebill is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Grey-headed Bristlebill 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 Grey-headed Bristlebill make?
1 real field recording of the Grey-headed Bristlebill — 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 Grey-headed Bristlebill's range?
The Grey-headed Bristlebill has a mapped global range of about 1.1 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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