this is the black-collared apalis. its common name is a holdover from when it was considered a member of genus Apalis - it was later found to not be part of the group, despite their striking visual similarities.
interestingly, its range consists of a handful of entirely independant populations, some being across an entire continent from each other! they dwell in the damper western portion of Kenya, the highland forests of northwest Cameroon, the far southeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and in three small areas along the northern, eastern, and western borders of Uganda. not quite sure how they managed such a dramatic level of separation. best guess is that these territories were formerly connected by more suitable habitat, which has since faded and left them stranded?
these critters prefer high-elevation forests, often hence ending up near bodies of water. they tend to stick to the understory or forest edge. social little birds, typically in the company of a few same-species buddies or a mixed-species foraging flock, if not both. while foraging together, they call out to each other with repeated noises which range in tone from "dog-toy squeaker" to "oven alarm". i assume they follow their family's habits of insectivory; however, as to the pattern of being a favorite target of brood parasites, I'm a bit less certain.
