- Myrmecocichla monticola
Oenanthe monticola
Identification
Length 18-20 cm, mass about 35 g.
Adult male: There are several colour morphs; body plumage may be pale grey or black, and the crown may be white, grey or black. The wings are very dark brown or black with a white shoulder patch which varies in size (sometimes all black). The tail pattern is distinctive, with a white rump and outer tail feathers. The legs and pointed bill are black.
Adult female: Dark brown, with a white rump and outer tail.
Photo © by Alan Manson
Qwantani Resort, Sterkfontein Dam, Free State, South Africa
Distribution
Southern Africa: found in
Namibia, South Africa, Lesotho, western eSwatini extreme southern Botswana and western Angola.
Taxonomy
Formerly classed as a member of the Thrush family (Turdidae), but is now more generally considered to be an Old-World Flycatcher (Family Muscicapidae).
Previously placed in genus Oenanthe.
Subspecies
Four subspecies are recognized[1].
- M. m. albipileata:
- Coastal Angola (Benguela escarpment)
- M. m. nigricauda:
- Angola (highlands of Huambo and southern Cuanza Sul)
- M. m. atmorii:
- Northern Namibia (south to Damaraland)
- M. m. monticola:
- Southern Namibia, South Africa (east to Limpopo and western KwaZulu-Natal), Lesotho, and western eSwatini
Habitat
Mountains and rocky areas.
Behaviour
Food: Mainly insects, but also other invertebrates, seeds and berries.
Breeding: Nests on the ground amongst rocks; 2-4 white eggs are laid June to March.
Gallery
Click on photo for larger image:
Male Mountain Wheatear - black-bellied morph
Photo © by safariranger
Daan Viljoen Game Reserve, Namibia
Male Mountain Wheatear - black-crowned morph
Photo © by Megan Perkins
Daan Viljoen Game Reserve, Namibia
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2022. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2022. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Hockey PAR, Dean WRJ & Ryan PG (eds) 2005. Robert's Birds of Southern Africa, 7th edition. John Voelcker Bird Book Fund, Cape Town, South Africa. ISBN 0620340533
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1
