About Cichladusa ruficauda (Hartlaub, 1857)
Cichladusa ruficauda (Hartlaub, 1857) measures 17–18 cm (6.7–7.1 in) in length, and weighs 22–37 g (0.78–1.31 oz). Males and females look identical. The head and nape are bright rufous-brown; the back, scapulars, and median and greater coverts are also rufous-brown, but slightly paler. Flight feathers are dark brown, with rufous or rufous-brown edges, and underwing coverts are pale buffish-brown. The rump and tail are rufous-brown or chestnut. The face and sides of the neck are mostly pale grey, with darker lores. The chin, throat, and upper breast are yellowish buff. The breast and flanks are pale grey, and the center of the belly is pale buff. Iris color ranges from brown to red; the beak is black, and legs can be pale brown, pale purple, or bluish grey. Juvenile Cichladusa ruficauda have dark streaks on the crown and nape, and dark bars on the back. Their underparts are mostly greyish, marked with dark or dusky mottles. This species is distributed across Angola, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Namibia. Its total range is estimated to cover 1,700,000 km2 (660,000 sq mi). It inhabits palms, dry forests, and secondary forests in riparian and coastal areas, at elevations up to 1,200 m (3,900 ft). It can also be found in banana plantations and gardens.
