Speckled Mousebird
Colius striatus
A scruffy, long-tailed African bird that scampers through bushes like a mouse and can hang upside down to eat fruit.
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About the Speckled Mousebird
Speckled mousebirds are the largest mousebirds, about 14 inches long, but half of that is tail, and they weigh only about 2 ounces. They have dark faces, brownish-gray bodies and pale crests. They live in dry woodlands, brushlands, gardens and orchards across sub-Saharan Africa and eat ripe and unripe fruit, seeds, plants and aloe nectar.[1]
Quick facts
- Scientific name
- Colius striatus[1]
- Size
- About 14 inches long, half of it tail.[1]
- Weight
- Up to about 2 ounces.[1]
- Lifespan
- 8 to 10 years.[1]
- Diet
- Mostly fruit, seeds and plants, plus aloe nectar.[1]
- Habitat
- Savanna, open woodland, brushland and gardens.[1]
- Where it lives
- Sub-Saharan Africa.[1]
- Group life
- Flocks of 15 to 20.[1]
- Babies
- 2 or 3 eggs.[1]
- Conservation status
- Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2016).[2]
Fun facts
Vocabulary
- torpor
- A short, deep rest that saves energy, like a mini-hibernation.
- preen
- To clean and arrange feathers with the beak.
- crest
- A tuft of feathers on top of a bird's head.
- flock
- A group of birds that live and travel together.
- least concern
- A conservation label meaning a species is widespread and not at risk of dying out soon.
See it in person
- Oakland ZooOakland, California · African SavannaSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗
These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.
Sources
- [1] Oakland Zoo. “Speckled Mousebird.” https://www.oaklandzoo.org/animals/speckled-mousebird/ (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Colius striatus (Speckled Mousebird).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22683776/93000568 (accessed 2026-10-02)
Facts last checked 2026-10-02.
