Gray Apalis Apalis cinerea Scientific name definitions

12–13 cm; male 8–13 g, female 7–11 g. A nondescript dark grey forest apalis with a fairly long tail. Nominate race has grey-brown crown, contrasting slightly with sooty-grey upperparts and upperwing; tail dark grey, white tips on T2 and T3, outer three rectrices white; cheek and ear-coverts often a little darker than crown and back, giving slightly masked appearance; whitish below, flanks washed pale grey; iris reddish-brown; bill black; legs pink. Distinguished from A. alticola by greyer head, white outer tail feathers (not grey with white tips). Sexes alike. Juvenile is washed olive above, throat and breast pale yellow. Race sclateri lacks brown wash on crown, has more uniform face and buffier underparts; <em>grandis</em> is larger than nominate.

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Diet mainly insects and other invertebrates, including beetles (Coleoptera), caterpillars (Lepidoptera) and spiders (Araneae). Occurs in pairs or in groups of up to eight individuals, rarely singly; frequently joins mixed-species parties, including those with A. porphyrolaema and A. argentea. Forages mainly in canopy and subcanopy, but descends close to ground at forest edge and in creeper tangles. Gleans items from leaves and small branches; also hawks insects in flight.

Calls  mainly in early morning and late afternoon, but also after rain. Male song  , from prominent perch (usually at top of tree), a dry, monotonous repetition of “chip”, “krrip” or “pitch-ew”, varying in pitch and pace, sometimes a fast, high-pitched trill; female may accompany male with high-pitched calls. Countersings with A. jacksoni. Both sexes snap wings and bill when excited.