The banded parisoma, banded tit warbler or banded warbler, is a species of Old World warbler in the family Sylviidae. It is found in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and Tanzania. Its natural habitat is dry savanna.
Region
Horn of Africa and East Africa
Typical Environment
Occurs from southern Ethiopia through Somalia and northeastern Kenya to northern and central Tanzania. It favors dry savanna, thorn scrub, and open Acacia-Commiphora woodland with scattered bushes. It is most often seen in semi-arid lowlands, along dry riverine thickets, and on bushy slopes. The species readily uses shrub edges and lightly grazed rangelands, provided there is dense low cover for nesting and foraging.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2000 m
Climate Zone
Arid
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The banded parisoma, also called the banded tit warbler, is a small Old World warbler of dry savannas and thorn scrub in East Africa. It is named for its distinctive dark breast band that separates a clean white throat from paler underparts. It forages actively in bushes and acacia thickets, often flicking its tail to reveal white outer tail feathers. Pairs maintain territories year-round and give sharp scolding calls when disturbed.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Typically found singly or in pairs, maintaining small territories throughout the year. Nests are compact cups placed low in dense shrubs or thorny bushes. Both adults forage within the territory and may engage in tail flicking and wing quivers during territorial displays.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a lively series of dry trills and chattering phrases delivered from a prominent perch within a bush. Calls are sharp tacks and scolds, often given repeatedly when alarmed.
Plumage
Plain gray-brown upperparts with a clean white throat and a contrasting dark breast band; underparts pale gray to whitish below the band. Wings and tail are dusky with noticeable white outer tail edges. Feathers are sleek and smooth, fitting the streamlined warbler profile.
Diet
Primarily consumes insects and other small arthropods such as beetles, caterpillars, spiders, and ants. It gleans prey from foliage, twigs, and bark and occasionally hawks small insects in short sallies. In some seasons it supplements with small berries and nectar from flowering shrubs.
Preferred Environment
Forages within dense thorn scrub and acacia thickets, often from the mid to lower levels of bushes. It also uses edges of woodland, dry riverine vegetation, and scattered shrubs in open savanna.
