Mountain Robin-Chat
Cossyphicula isabellae
A fairly plain brown-and-orange robin-chat with a white eyebrow and a dark face. As in most robin-chats, the tail has a dark center and orange edges. An inconspicuous bird of the understory of montane forest. Sometimes follows columns of ants. Similar to White-bellied Robin-Chat, but distinguished by the orange belly and the much bolder white eyebrow. Also similar to Bocage’s Akalat, but distinguished by the white eyebrow and the two-colored tail. The song is a series of several squeaky, rasping whistles, far less conspicuous and musical than the vocalizations of most robin-chats.
Identification
The mountain robin-chat (Cossyphicula isabellae) is a species of bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is native to the Western High Plateau. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2023 found that the mountain robin-chat was sister to the white-bellied robin-chat. Based on this result the mountain robin-chat was moved from the genus Cossypha to the genus Cossyphicula.
Taxonomy
Genus: Cossyphicula; Family: Muscicapidae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Cossyphicula isabellae
- Authority
- (Gray, GR, 1862)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Genus
- Cossyphicula
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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