What to Know About the Blue-Naped Mousebird in Uganda?

The Blue-Naped Mousebird in Uganda is one of the African birds of Uganda seen during Uganda Birding Tours. The blue-naped mousebird is a common pet bird, once known as the blue-naped, it is a mousebird species in the family Coliidae.

It is found in the drier areas of Eastern Africa. It moves on the ground in a way similar to similar to scurrying of a mouse.

How Does the Blue-Naped Mousebird in Uganda Look Like?

The blue-naped mousebird is a medium-sized bird, measuring 33-35 cm long. Their ash is brown, body is grayish, a crested head with a blue nape. The beak is black and red.

Juveniles have pink facial skin and greenish beak. The blue-naped mousebird has very large feet for its body size which makes is able to rotate all four toes to face forward whenever the bird wishes.

The birds can climb and scurry along branches, hang by a toenail, or to use one foot to hold food because their toes are strong and dexterous.

How Does the Blue-Naped Mousebird in Uganda Feed?

Blue-naped Mousebirds mainly eat fruits, berries, leaves, buds, flowers, nectar and seeds. But occasionally can eat soil and swallow gravels to help in digestion.

Their toes are strong and enable them to feed upside down and perch at strange angles.

How Does the Blue-Naped Mousebird in Uganda nest?

A pair constructs a large for birds of their size, the nest is made out of pits of vegetation and animal material, and other items found around like cloth and paper.

How Does the Blue-Naped Mousebird in Uganda Breed?

The Blue-Naped mousebirds are both monogamous and polygynous unlike other birds. Some of them have one partner, others have more than one.  They may also breed all year-round.

How Does the Blue-Naped Mousebird in Uganda Reproduce?

A clutch of maximumly 7 eggs is laid in the nest, but usually 3-4 eggs. Incubation take about 14 days. Chicks are raised by both parents and other helpers, usually the elder siblings of chicks.

Leaving of their nest can be when they are 17-18 days old and their independence from parents is at about a month old.