The bare-faced go-away-bird is a species of bird in the family Musophagidae which is native to the eastern Afrotropics. It is named for its distinctive and uniquely bare, black face.
Region
East Africa
Typical Environment
Occurs in the eastern Afrotropics, from southern Ethiopia and Eritrea through Somalia and eastern South Sudan to Kenya and northeastern Tanzania, locally extending into adjacent regions. Prefers dry savanna, thornscrub, and open woodland, especially Acacia-Commiphora habitats. It is common around riverine woodland, bushy slopes, and human-modified edges such as farms and gardens. Avoids dense rainforest and very open treeless plains, favoring scattered trees and shrubs for foraging and cover.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
Named for its loud, nasal “go-away” call, the bare-faced go-away-bird has conspicuous bare black facial skin that contrasts with its grey plumage. It is an agile climber that browses leaves and fruits high in thorny acacia and other woodland trees. Often seen in small, noisy groups, it also frequents gardens and farms at the edges of savanna. As a frugivore, it helps disperse seeds across dry woodland habitats.
C. p. leopoldi in Kenya
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with glides
Social Behavior
Usually found in pairs or small family groups that keep in contact with loud calls. They forage by clambering through tree canopies, often sitting conspicuously on exposed perches. Nesting is in a shallow stick platform placed in a tree; pairs are monogamous and both sexes attend the nest.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
The voice is a loud, nasal series of notes that sound like “gaa-waaay” or “go-way,” often repeated insistently. Calls include harsh scolds and chattering contact notes used to maintain group cohesion.
Plumage
Mostly soft grey above with paler grey to whitish underparts and a long, graduated tail; feathers are smooth with a slight silky sheen. The crest is prominent and grey. Tail often shows a paler or whitish terminal area in flight. The face has distinctive bare black skin around the lores and eye, giving a masked appearance.
Diet
Feeds mainly on fruits, berries, seed pods, young leaves, and flower buds from a variety of savanna trees and shrubs, including acacias. It will also take cultivated fruits when available and occasionally consumes insects or other small invertebrates. Foraging is mostly done by browsing and plucking items while climbing through branches, with brief sallies between trees.
Preferred Environment
Typically feeds in the mid to upper canopy of thorny woodland, riverine trees, and bushy savanna edges. It often visits farmland edges, gardens, and villages where fruiting trees are present.
