- Chaetops aurantius
Identification
Photographed in Sani Pass, Drakensberg, South Africa. The bird pictured is a female.
This rock-jumper is 23-25 cm long with a long black tail and strong legs. The male has a dark grey head with a thin white supercilium and a broad white moustache. The back and wings are dark grey. The underparts are orange and the rump is rufous red.
The female and juvenile have a paler grey head, upperparts and wings, a duller head pattern, an orange rump, and buff underparts. The call is a loud wheeoo.
Distribution
The Orange-breasted Rock-jumper or Drakensberg Rock-jumper,Chaetops aurantius is a medium-sized insectivorous passerine bird endemic to the mountain fynbos of the Drakensburg Mountains of southeastern South Africa.
Taxonomy
Habitat
This is a ground-nesting species which forages on rocky slopes and scree.
Behaviour
It frequently perches on rocks. The closely related Rufous Rock-jumper, Chaetops frenatus is sometimes considered to be conspecific. The latter species uses one or two additional individuals, usually offspring of the adult pair from the preceding breeding season, to assist the breeding pair. in territorial defence and alarm calling, and in the feeding of nestlings and fledglings. Given the great similarities between the species, it is likely that Orange-breasted Rock-jumper uses a similar strategy.
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