Mocking Cliff-Chat
Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris
The sexes of this large, strong-legged, long-tailed chat of rocky inselbergs and boulder-strewn woodland look different. The striking male has glossy black upperparts and chestnut underparts and rump, and in some areas a bold white shoulder patch and white crown. The female is duller, with slaty gray-brown upperparts and deeper rufous underparts, and lacks the white shoulder patch. This bird has a distinctive habit of slowly lifting its tail. It is often detected by its loud, complex, melodic song, sometimes given in duet, and often including imitations of other species. The White-winged Cliff-Chat, restricted to northeast Africa, differs from Mocking Cliff-Chat by having white patches in the wing feathers in both sexes.
Identification
The mocking cliff chat is a large chat with distinctive colouration. The male has a glossy black with a chestnut belly, vent, and rump and white shoulder patches. The shoulder patches vary in size geographically. The female is dark grey with a chestnut lower breast, belly, and vent. The mocking cliff chat has a length of 19–21 cm and weigh 41–51g.<p>A loud fluty melodious warbling song which often contains many rapid-fire phrases mimicking other species, with some harsher phrases interspersed.
Taxonomy
There are six currently recognised subspecies<p>The white-crowned cliff chat (Thamnolaea coronata) of West Africa is sometimes included in this species.
- Scientific name
- Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris
- Authority
- (Lafresnaye, 1836)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Genus
- Thamnolaea
Range and habitat
The mocking cliff chat inhabits rocky and boulder strewn areas, well-wooded rocky ravines, cliffs, gullies, boulder-strewn hillsides and watercourses in valley bottoms with scattered rocks. The mocking cliff chat occurs in a neat band from central Ethiopia in the north through east Africa into Zimbabwe, south-eastern Botswana, southern Mozambique and eastern South Africa as far as the far east of Western Cape province. Mostly resident but in the south of its range tends to move to lower altitudes in the winter months.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Tiny Hawk
Microspizias superciliosus
Well-named, this is truly a small hawk, although size can be difficult to judge. Look for fine barring on the underparts, darker cap, and relatively short tail. Adults are gray, juveniles warmer rufous. Lacks a conspicuous collar wrapping around the neck, as in Semicollared Hawk. Not frequently seen; often stays inside forests, where it hunts small birds. Sometimes perches at the forest edge. Almost always seen singly.
White-rumped Hawk
Parabuteo leucorrhous
Small raptor of montane forest in the Andes from Venezuela to Argentina, with a disjunct population in southeastern South America. Adults are black with a piercing yellow eye. In flight, look for the paddle shaped wings and contrasting white underwing coverts. The tail has contrasting black and white bands. Juveniles are buffy below with messy dark markings; note the white eyebrow and overall compact shape. Singles or pairs are uncommon over forest or adjacent clearings. Typically seen soaring or occasionally perched in the canopy.
Flores Flowerpecker
Dicaeum rhodopygiale
Small and stout forest-dweller that hops and buzzes about in the canopy like a large, active insect. Note male’s iridescent dark blue back, bright red chest, and black line extending down the white belly. As with many other flowerpeckers, the female is considerably duller, with a red rump patch being the only patch of bright color on her otherwise gray-brown plumage. Endemic to Flores, where it inhabits montane and foothill forests. Calls include high-pitched whistles and dry clicking notes.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.