The Bokmakierie is easily identified by its distinctive pectoral band, which gracefully curves from its chest to the base of its bill, forming an eye-catching collar.
The bokmakierie, scientifically known as Telophorus zeylonus, is a type of shrike bird that boasts an attractive appearance. Adult birds are around 22 to 23 cm long and have an olive green upper body, along with a notable bright yellow tip to the black tail. Its head is gray and has a yellow supercilium, while its strong beak has a hooked upper jaw. The underparts of the bokmakierie are bright yellow and are separated from the throat and breast by a broad black collar that extends from the sides of the neck to the beak, passing the eye. The bird can be easily recognized by its bluish-gray legs and feet.
Although both males and females look similar, juveniles have a less vibrant gray-green color and do not have a black forehead. The species has four subspecies that differ mainly in their color tones and sizes.
This bird is native to Africa and can be found in several areas including southwestern Angola, Namibia, southern Botswana and throughout South Africa.
Bokmakierie can usually be observed in open savannas and bushlands, but can also be found in overgrown deserts, plantations, orchards, vineyards, as well as in urban gardens and parks.
These avian creatures are known for their opportunistic nature and feed mainly on insects such as beetles, crickets, grasshoppers, bed bugs, moths, caterpillars, wasps, ants, flies, mantises, winged termites and stick insects. However, they also consume millipedes, centipedes, snails, spiders, worms, lizards, small snakes, chameleons, geckos, frogs, small birds and even some fruits and berries.
The bokmakierie bird is capable of breeding throughout the year. Both the male and female work together to build a cup-shaped nest using materials such as small twigs, leaves, roots, tendrils, grass and bark. They usually place the nest among dense bushes, hidden by thick vegetation. The female then lays 2 to 6 greenish-blue eggs with reddish-brown or lilac spots, which both parents incubate for 14 to 19 days. Once hatched, the chicks are fed by both parents and can begin to fly after 15 to 21 days.
This particular type of creature has a wide breeding range and is known to exist in many places. The number of individuals is believed to remain constant unless there are notable drops or major hazards.
