Gosling's apalis is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae. It is found in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Gabon. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest.
Region
West-Central and Central Africa
Typical Environment
Occurs from Cameroon and the Central African Republic south through Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to northern Angola. It inhabits subtropical and tropical moist lowland forest, including secondary growth and forest edge. Most frequently found in dense thickets, vine tangles, and understory near clearings or along streams. It avoids open savanna and very dry woodland but tolerates mildly disturbed habitats. Local densities can be high where understory is well developed.
Altitude Range
0–1500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Gosling's apalis is a small forest warbler of Central Africa, often seen flitting through dense understory vegetation in pairs. It frequently joins mixed-species flocks, which helps it find prey and reduce predation risk. The species is named after the British explorer William Gosling and remains common across much of the Congo Basin.
Temperament
active and somewhat skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats between perches
Social Behavior
Usually found in pairs or small family groups and often joins mixed-species flocks in the understory and midstory. Pairs maintain territories and communicate with soft contact calls. The nest is a small, well-hidden cup in shrubs or tangles; both adults feed the young, with incubation largely by the female.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a series of high, thin whistles and short trills delivered in quick sequences, often as antiphonal duets between pair members. Calls include sharp chips and sibilant notes used to keep contact in dense cover.
Plumage
Neat, small apalis with grey to grey-olive upperparts and pale whitish to buff underparts, often with a clean white throat and slightly greyer breast. The tail is relatively long and graduated; wings are short and rounded. Plumage appears smooth and sleek, aiding in quick movement through foliage.
Diet
Primarily feeds on small arthropods such as insects, spiders, and their larvae. It gleans prey from leaves, twigs, and vine tangles, and occasionally makes short sallies to snatch flushed insects. Foraging is quick and methodical, often accompanied by tail flicks. It may take tiny berries opportunistically.
Preferred Environment
Forages in dense understory, vine tangles, and along forest edges and clearings. Frequently works along streamside thickets and in secondary growth where foliage is abundant.
