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Song & Call Comparison
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Song & Call Comparison
White-breasted Mesite
Song
Soft, brief trill with whistling quality; pure notes given from dense forest floor in Madagascar. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.
Subdesert Mesite
Song
Soft, brief trill with whistling quality; pure notes given quietly from Madagascar dry spiny forest.
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Geographic Range & Migration
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Conservation Status Comparison
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Conservation Status
Vulnerable
White-breasted Mesite
Vulnerable
Subdesert Mesite
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Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart
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How to Tell Them Apart
White-breasted Mesite
Plumage
White-breasted Mesite: white underparts with rufous spotting; olive-brown above; white supercilium; long tail; flightless forest bird
Subdesert Mesite
Plumage
Subdesert Mesite: pale buff-gray below; olive-brown above; bold white supercilium; long tail; Madagascar subdesert specialist
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About Each Bird (Descriptions)
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White-breasted Mesite (Mesitornis variegatus) — 28–31 cm. Brown above; white underparts spotted black; long graduated tail; slender bill; largely terrestrial. Restricted to dry deciduous forest in northwest Madagascar. Non-parasitic; builds a flat stick nest. Omnivore eating invertebrates, seeds, and small lizards. Vulnerable.
Subdesert Mesite (Monias benschi) — 28–32 cm. Pale brown and buff above; white underparts with dark spotting on breast; long bill; long tail. Restricted to a narrow coastal strip of spiny desert in southwest Madagascar. Non-parasitic; nests in low shrubs. Omnivore; forages on bare sandy ground. Vulnerable; very restricted range.
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Related Comparisons
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More Birds in Family
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