Arizelocichla nigriceps
The Black-headed Mountain Greenbul (Arizelocichla nigriceps) is a striking, medium-sized passerine, measuring approximately 19-21 cm (7.5-8.3 inches) in length and weighing around 30-40 grams. Its most distinctive feature, and the source of its name, is its glossy, jet-black head and throat, which starkly contrasts with its bright olive-green upperparts, including the back, wings, and tail. The underparts are a duller olive-yellow, transitioning to a yellowish wash on the belly. Key field mar...
Primarily inhabits evergreen montane forests, forest edges, and dense secondary growth, typically found at elevations ranging from 1,200 to 3,000 meters.
Omnivorous, feeding primarily on small fruits (especially berries and figs) and a variety of insects (beetles, caterpillars, ants, termites) and other invertebrates gleaned from foliage.
This diurnal greenbul is often active and vocal, especially during the cooler morning hours. It forages solitarily, in pairs, or in small family groups, frequently joining mixed-species feeding flocks that include other bulbuls, white-eyes, and sunbirds. Foraging primarily occurs high in the cano...
The Black-headed Mountain Greenbul is endemic to the high-altitude montane forests of East Africa, primarily distributed across the Albertine Rift Mountains. Its breeding and resident range includes eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, southwestern Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, western Kenya (notably...
Least Concern
- The striking black head is a crucial identifier, helping distinguish it from numerous other greenbul species found in its range. - It belongs to the complex 'mountain greenbul' group, where species boundaries are still debated by ornithologists. - Often acts as a 'nuclear species' in mixed-spec...