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Red-capped Robin-Chat - BirdForum Opus

Alternative name: Natal Robin, Rufous-capped Robin-Chat

Subspecies Natalensis
Photo by rudydbn
Scottborough, South Africa, 08-2004
Cossypha natalensis

Identification

16–17 cm (6¼-6¾ in), mass 24-36 g.

  • Reddish-brown crown
  • Orange face and underparts
  • Bluish-grey upperparts
  • Orange tail with black centre
  • Black eye

Distribution

Africa:
Found in Ethiopia and Somalia through Kenya, Uganda and DRC to Angola in the west and through eastern Africa to eastern South Africa. Isolated populations in Nigeria and Central African Republic.

Taxonomy

Subspecies intensa
Photo by volker sthamer
Bishangari, Ethiopia, March 2016

Subspecies

Cossypha natalensis has three subspecies:[1]

  • C. n. larischi
  • C. n. intensa
  • C. n. natalensis

Habitat

Subtropical and tropical dense evergreen forest and more open deciduous woodland. In lowland or middle elevavation.

Behaviour

Immature, Subspecies Natalensis
Photo by Alan Manson
Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, July 2007

Usually found singly or in pairs.

Diet

Forages mainly on the ground for invertebrates such as beetles and fruits.

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2016. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2016, with updates to August 2016. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Hockey, PAR, WRJ Dean, and PG Ryan, eds. 2005. Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa. 7th ed. Cape Town: John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. ISBN 978-0620340533
  3. Sinclair, I and P Ryan. 2003. Birds of Africa South of the Sahara. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0691118154
  4. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved December 2016)

Recommended Citation

External Links

GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1

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