Birds of Africa - Speckled Mousebird - Colius striatus - World: Africa: Nigeria, Central Africa Republic, S Sudan, Ethiopia and S Somalia and S to 10訕. Below 10訕 it is confined to the eastern part of the continent. Kenya: Mostly absent from the arid N and E of the country (except highland areas). Elsewhere common in open bush and woodland. These are conspicuous birds which are highly social, feeding together and engaging in mutual preening. They frequently go to ground to dust bathe and occasionally to eat soil. At night they roost in very tight groups of 20 or so and on cold nights they become torpid. They are predominantly brown in colour, including the crest. In strong light, with the crest well spread (as in the picture) it can sometimes look pale and the bird may be confused with the less common White-headed Mousebird. However the two tone bill (black above and pink below) lack of white on the crown and the lack of a bare grey orbital patch distinguish the two species.