Dear Birders,

Fantastic record Fleur and great find Marto - thanks for sharing. Looking over the maps, it seems Oltulili is on the nw slopes of Mount Kenya, south of the road roughly midway between Nanyuki and Timau. From historic and recent records, there is some suggestion this species is a migrant in Kenya, arriving in the central highlands in Oct-Nov and staying until Jan-Mar. A smattering of records in the May-Jul period (though much more sporadic) suggests a second movement at that time of year.

Ecologically, this is a bird that needs to drink every day. And not muddy water but clean water at springs, where the bird is nearly always found (also at bird baths and drips). It's distribution in Kenya is very closely tied to areas where abundant groundwater percolates from the earth....Fort Hall, Thika-Makuyu-Ol Doinyo Sabuk, Samburu (coastal), Shimba Hills, Mongeya Hill etc. In this regard, its distribution matches that of Grey-olive Greenbul fairly closely. That there may be a dietary component involved here, such as feeding on algae (as shown in other estrildids), is also possible.

Good birding,

James