Speckled mousebird

Description:

Over 30cm in length; mainly thanks to long and broad tail. Colors depend on geographic distribution and races - these ones, seen in Congo, are plain brown in body with well distinguished white cheeks, black mask around the eyes, some creamish crest and red legs. The bill is always in two colors, lower mandible cream, and upper blackish. They are most often seen in groups, and dashing around bushes like if playing...

Habitat:

Very common in most of sub-Saharan Africa; and often seen in dense trees and shrubs. They were very common in urban and peri-urban Kinshasa, in parks, banks of river Congo or gardens, where I've had a load of occasions to observe them sunning in trees, playing along or feeding on ripe fruits - papaya and such.