The West African wattle-eye is a species of bird in the family Platysteiridae. It is found in Benin, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Togo. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical swamps, and moist savanna.
Region
West Africa
Typical Environment
It inhabits moist lowland forests, swamp forests, gallery forests, and dense secondary growth from Sierra Leone through Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and into southern Guinea. It is most often found in the shaded understorey and forest edges, including vine tangles and thickets near streams. The species also uses wooded farms and fallows where dense shrub layers remain. It stays close to cover and rarely ventures into open areas.
Altitude Range
0–1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Wattle-eyes are named for the bright fleshy wattles around their eyes, which are especially conspicuous in males and used in display. The West African wattle-eye often forages in pairs in the shady lower forest, frequently giving duets to keep contact. It tolerates secondary growth and forest edges but still depends on dense, humid vegetation. Habitat loss in the Upper Guinea forests is the main concern for this species.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats between perches
Social Behavior
Usually found in pairs that maintain small territories in dense undergrowth. Pairs frequently duet, with coordinated calls that reinforce pair bonds and territory. They build a small cup nest of fibers and spider silk low in a fork or tangle; both sexes share incubation and care for the young. They occasionally join mixed-species understorey flocks while foraging.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A series of clear, piping whistles and sharp ‘tchik’ notes, often delivered antiphonally by a pair. The male gives repeated bright, ringing notes while the female answers with softer, shorter phrases. Alarm calls are dry, scolding chips from dense cover.
Plumage
Male shows a sharp black-and-white contrast with glossy black upperparts and head, clean white underparts, and a bold white wing patch; female is warmer brown above with a buffy to rufous throat and paler underparts. Both sexes have smooth, neat plumage suited to dense undergrowth. The species has a compact body with a short tail and a small, stout bill.
Diet
Primarily small arthropods, including beetles, ants, termites, flies, caterpillars, and spiders. It gleans prey from leaves and twigs, often making short sallies to snatch insects in mid-air. The bird methodically works vine tangles and low branches, inspecting the underside of foliage. It may occasionally take small berries but remains chiefly insectivorous.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in the lower and mid-storey of humid forests, thickets, and riparian vegetation. Often forages along forest edges, clearings, and in overgrown secondary growth where insect activity is high. Prefers dense cover for both feeding and quick retreat.
