The mousebirds have no real close affinities to other groups, though they and the parrots and cockatoos (Psittaciformes) may be closer to each other than to other birds. The mousebirds are therefore given order status as Coliiformes. This group is confined to sub-Saharan Africa, and is the only bird order confined entirely to that continent. They have mainly gray or brown plumage with soft hair-like feathers said to resemble the hair of a mouse.

Genus Colius

Mousebird, Red-backed  Colius castanotus  Found: Angola, DR of Congo Image by: 1) John Gerrard Keulemans  2) Nik_Borrows


Mousebird, Speckled Colius striatus   Found: Africa
Image by:  1, 2) Dick Daniels - San Diego Zoo  3) Dick - Johannesburg, South Africa   4) Dick - Birds of Eden  5) Sandy Cole - Birds of Eden   6) Derek Keats  7) Ian White - Botswana



Mousebird, White-backed  Colius colius  Found: Africa
Image by: 1) Jon Richfield  2) Cristiano Crolle - Windhoek, Namibia   3, 4) Bernard Dupont


Mousebird, White-headed  Colius leucocephalus  Found: Africa
Image by:  1) Steve Garvie -  Kenya  2) Carol Foil - Kenya  3, 4) Dave_Curtis - Kenya



Genus Urocolius

Mousebird, Blue-naped Urocolius macrourus   Found: Africa
Image by: 1) Doug Janson   2) Sandy Cole -North Carolina Zoo  3) Dick Daniels - Kenya 4, 5, 6) DIck - Tanzania  7) David_Bygott - Tanzania  8) Winfried


Mousebird, Red-faced  Urocolius indicus  Found: Africa
Image by: 1) Jerry Oldenettel - Botswana  2, 3) Derek Keats - South Africa