The Bokmakierie is easily recognizable by the unique chest band that curves from his chest to the base of his beak, creating an attractive necklace.
The bokmakierie, scientifically known as Telophorus zeylonus, is a type of bushshrike bird that boasts an attractive appearance. Fully grown birds measure around 22 to 23 cm in length and have olive-green upper body parts, along with a noticeable bright yellow tip on their black tail. Their head is grey and features a yellow supercilium, while their strong bill has a hooked upper mandible. The bokmakierie’s underparts are bright yellow and are separated from the throat and breast by a broad black collar that extends from the neck sides through the eye to the bill. One can easily recognize the bird by its blue-grey legs and feet.
Although both males and females look alike, juveniles have a less vibrant grey-green color and do not have the black forehead. The species has four subspecies which primarily differ in their color shades and sizes.
This bird is a native of Africa and can be found in various areas including southwestern Angola, Namibia, southern Botswana, and across South Africa.
Bokmakierie can usually be spotted in open savannahs and scrublands, but they can also be found in scrubby deserts, plantations, orchards, vineyards, as well as urban gardens, parks.
These avian creatures are known for their opportunistic nature and primarily feed on insects such as beetles, crickets, grasshoppers, bugs, moths, caterpillars, wasps, ants, flies, mantis, termite alates, and stick insects. However, they also consume millipedes, centipedes, snails, spiders, earthworms, lizards, small snakes, chameleons, geckos, frogs, small birds, and even some fruits and berries.
The bokmakierie bird is capable of breeding all year round. The male and female both work together in constructing a cup-shaped nest using materials such as small twigs, leaves, roots, tendrils, grass, and bark. They usually place the nest within dense scrub, concealed by thick vegetation. The female then lays 2-6 greenish-blue eggs with red-brown or lilac blotches, which both parents incubate for 14-19 days. Once hatched, the chicks are fed by both parents and can start to fly after 15-21 days.
The particular type of creature boasts an expansive area for reproduction and is known to exist in many places. It is believed that the number of individuals remains constant unless there are noticeable drops or significant dangers present.
