Phyllastrephus scandens
The Leaf-love, *Phyllastrephus scandens*, is a medium-sized bulbul of the Pycnonotidae family, known for its distinctive olive-brown upperparts, paler, yellowish-white underparts, and a noticeably streaked throat. Measuring approximately 16-18 cm in length and weighing between 20-30 grams, it features a relatively long tail, a pale eye-ring, and a horn-colored bill. Its most distinguishing feature, reflected in its scientific epithet 'scandens' (climbing), is its agile, scansorial movement th...
Found in tropical and subtropical lowland evergreen forests, dense secondary growth, gallery forests, and woodland edges. Typically inhabits the mid-story and undergrowth, especially areas with dense vine tangles, from sea level up to approximately 1,500 meters.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on a wide range of insects and their larvae, including beetles, caterpillars, ants, and termites. Occasionally supplements its diet with small fruits and berries, gleaning items directly from foliage and branches.
Leaf-loves are diurnal and highly active, spending their days meticulously gleaning for food. They are renowned for their scansorial foraging technique, climbing agilely through dense tangles, often clinging upside-down or sideways to leaves and branches to inspect crevices. This species frequent...
The Leaf-love (*Phyllastrephus scandens*) is a resident species found across a broad swathe of West and Central Africa. Its distribution extends from Senegambia in the west, eastward through countries such as Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria, cont...
Least Concern
- The scientific name 'scandens' directly translates to 'climbing,' perfectly describing this bird's agile foraging style. - Leaf-loves are master gleaners, often observed hanging upside-down or sideways as they meticulously inspect leaves and branches for insects. - They are a core component of ...