- Oenanthe familiaris
Cercomela familiaris
Identification
Size 14-15cm (similar in size to a Cape Sparrow). Quite stockily built. Similar to various other chat and wheatear species in the south of its range where its tail pattern is distinctive
- overall dull medium brown, paler below
- ear-coverts often with an orangy patch
- bill short, straight, black
- legs and feet black
- tail shortish: dark brown/blackish central feathers forming an inverted "T" surrounded by orange-buff outer tail feathers
- rump orange-buff
Similar species
Karoo Chat (which see); Tractrac Chat; Sickle-winged Chat, Moorland Chat (which see)
Distribution
Photo by rdavis
Mankwe Wildlife Reserve, Pilanesberg National Park, South Africa, November 2012
Africa south of the Sahara:
Western Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola and Zaire
Eastern Africa: Sudan, South Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique and Malawi
Southern Africa: Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa and eSwatini
Middle East: Arabian Peninsula
Taxonomy
Subspecies
Clements recognises the following subspecies [1]:
- O. f. falkensteini: southeastern Senegal and northern Guinea east to southern Sudan, western South Sudan, northwestern Ethiopia, southern Uganda, and Tanzania, south to the Zambezi Valley
- O. f. omoensis: southeastern South Sudan, southwestern Ethiopia, northeastern Uganda, and northwestern Kenya
- O. f. modesta: northeast Angola to Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique
- O. f. angolensis: western Angola to northern Namibia
- O. f. galtoni: eastern Namibia to western Botswana and northern Cape Province, South Africa
- O. f. hellmayri: southeast Botswana to Zimbabwe and northern South Africa
- O. f. actuosa: central and eastern South Africa
- O. f. familiaris: southern Mozambique and coastal South Africa
Habitat
Rocky mountain slopes and its outcrops, eroded gullies, sparse woodland along drainage lines, farmyards and village gardens.
Behaviour
Diet
The Afrikaans name "spekvreter" (means "fat-eater"), and comes from the fact that it developed the habit of feeding on the lard used to grease wagons by the voortrekkers. It is a friendly bird and often hangs around farmhouses and homesteads. It eats insects, fruit, animal fat and scraps from around the house or farmyard by flying down to the ground from its perch and snaps up its prey.
Breeding
It nests July- April, but will breed at any time when conditions are right - especially in the drier areas. The nest is a cup of hair, wool, feathers or soft plant material on a larger pad of coarser material, often anchored on a base of earth or stones. This is situated in a hole in the ground, the wall of a donga or rock face. It also nests on buildings, in nest boxes or even in disused Sociable Weaver nest.
Vocalisation
The call is a harsh chak-chak or peep-chak-chak when alarmed.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Gill, F and D Donsker (Eds). 2011. IOC World Bird Names (version 2.10). Available at http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Familiar Chat. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 14 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Familiar_Chat
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1
