The mocking cliff chat, mocking chat or cliff chat, (Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris) is a species of chat in the family Muscicapidae which occurs in rocky habitats in much of eastern Sub-Saharan Africa.
The mocking cliff chat is a large chat with distinctive colouration. The male has a glossy black with a chestnut belly, vent, and rump and white shoulder patches. The shoulder patches vary in size geographically. The female is dark grey with a chestnut lower breast, belly, and vent.[3] The mocking cliff chat has a length of 19–21 cm and weigh 41–51g.[4]
Voiceedit
A loud fluty melodious warbling song which often contains many rapid-fire phrases mimicking other species, with some harsher phrases interspersed.[3][5]
Distribution and movementsedit
The mocking cliff chat occurs in a neat band from central Ethiopia in the north through east Africa into Zimbabwe, south-eastern Botswana, southern Mozambique and eastern South Africa as far as the far east of Western Cape province. Mostly resident but in the south of its range tends to move to lower altitudes in the winter months.[6]
Habitatedit
The mocking cliff chat inhabits rocky and boulder strewn areas, well-wooded rocky ravines, cliffs, gullies, boulder-strewn hillsides and watercourses in valley bottoms with scattered rocks.[6]
Habitsedit
The mocking cliff chat is mainly insectivorous but also eats fruit and feeds on the nectar of aloes, such as the Krantz aloe, Aloe arborescens. Its chief foraging technique is to pounce on food on the ground from a perch but it will also glean food from branches and foliage.[6] They habitually wag their tails, slowly raising it over their backs and fanning it out.[5]
Both sexes build the nest, taking about a week to construct an open cup built over a foundation of twigs, leaves, roots and feathers and lined with the hair of mammals. They often use the nests of striped swallows frequently evicting the swallows while they are still using the nest. The nest is usually positioned below a rock overhang, bridge, culvert or in a cave and it may sometimes be placed in a hole in a wall or in a cavity in agricultural machinery. In southern Africa the eggs are laid from August–December, with a peak during September–November. The normal clutch size is 2-4 eggs, which the female incubates for about 14–16 days. Both parents feed the chicks which fledge at about three weeks old.[6]
Taxonomyedit
T. c. subrufipennis in Kenya
There are six currently recognised subspecies[2][4]
^BirdLife International (2018). "Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T22710441A132088466. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22710441A132088466.en. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
^ ab"Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris (Lafresnaye, 1836)". Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) (https://www.itis.gov). Retrieved 2016-11-20.
^ abIan Sinclair; Peter Ryan (2003). Birds of Africa south of the Sahara. Struik. pp. 472–473. ISBN1-86872-857-9.
^ abZimmerman, Dale A.; Turner, Donald A.; Pearson, David J. (1996). Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania. Helm. p. 548. ISBN0-7136-3968-7.
^ abcd"Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris (Mocking cliff-chat, Mocking chat)". Biodiversity Explorer. Iziko Museums of South Africa. Retrieved 2016-11-20.
External linksedit
Mocking cliff chat - Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds.
Recordings at Xeno-Canto
January 01, 1970
mocking, cliff, chat, mocking, cliff, chat, mocking, chat, cliff, chat, thamnolaea, cinnamomeiventris, species, chat, family, muscicapidae, which, occurs, rocky, habitats, much, eastern, saharan, africa, male, south, africa, female, south, africa, conservation. The mocking cliff chat mocking chat or cliff chat Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris is a species of chat in the family Muscicapidae which occurs in rocky habitats in much of eastern Sub Saharan Africa Mocking cliff chat Male in South Africa Female in South Africa Conservation status Least Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Aves Order Passeriformes Family Muscicapidae Genus Thamnolaea Species T cinnamomeiventris Binomial name Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris Lafresnaye 1836 2 Synonyms Myrmecocichla cinnamomeiventris Lafresnaye 1836 Contents 1 Description 1 1 Voice 2 Distribution and movements 3 Habitat 4 Habits 5 Taxonomy 6 References 7 External linksDescription editThe mocking cliff chat is a large chat with distinctive colouration The male has a glossy black with a chestnut belly vent and rump and white shoulder patches The shoulder patches vary in size geographically The female is dark grey with a chestnut lower breast belly and vent 3 The mocking cliff chat has a length of 19 21 cm and weigh 41 51g 4 Voice edit A loud fluty melodious warbling song which often contains many rapid fire phrases mimicking other species with some harsher phrases interspersed 3 5 Distribution and movements editThe mocking cliff chat occurs in a neat band from central Ethiopia in the north through east Africa into Zimbabwe south eastern Botswana southern Mozambique and eastern South Africa as far as the far east of Western Cape province Mostly resident but in the south of its range tends to move to lower altitudes in the winter months 6 Habitat editThe mocking cliff chat inhabits rocky and boulder strewn areas well wooded rocky ravines cliffs gullies boulder strewn hillsides and watercourses in valley bottoms with scattered rocks 6 Habits editThe mocking cliff chat is mainly insectivorous but also eats fruit and feeds on the nectar of aloes such as the Krantz aloe Aloe arborescens Its chief foraging technique is to pounce on food on the ground from a perch but it will also glean food from branches and foliage 6 They habitually wag their tails slowly raising it over their backs and fanning it out 5 Both sexes build the nest taking about a week to construct an open cup built over a foundation of twigs leaves roots and feathers and lined with the hair of mammals They often use the nests of striped swallows frequently evicting the swallows while they are still using the nest The nest is usually positioned below a rock overhang bridge culvert or in a cave and it may sometimes be placed in a hole in a wall or in a cavity in agricultural machinery In southern Africa the eggs are laid from August December with a peak during September November The normal clutch size is 2 4 eggs which the female incubates for about 14 16 days Both parents feed the chicks which fledge at about three weeks old 6 Taxonomy edit nbsp T c subrufipennis in Kenya There are six currently recognised subspecies 2 4 T c kordofanensis Wettstein 1916 Nuba Mountains in central Sudan T c albiscapulata Ruppell 1837 northern Eritrea and northern central and eastern Ethiopia T c subrufipennis Reichenow 1887 eastern South Sudan and south western Ethiopia south through the Rift Valley and Tanzania to eastern Zambia and Malawi T c odica Clancey 1962 Eastern Zimbabwe T c cinnamomeiventris Lafresnaye 1836 Eastern Botswana eastern South Africa western Eswatini and Lesotho T c autochthones Clancey 1952 Southern Mozambique south to north eastern South Africa and eastern Eswatini The white crowned cliff chat Thamnolaea coronata of West Africa is sometimes included in this species 4 References edit BirdLife International 2018 Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018 e T22710441A132088466 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2018 2 RLTS T22710441A132088466 en Retrieved 13 November 2021 a b Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris Lafresnaye 1836 Integrated Taxonomic Information System ITIS https www itis gov Retrieved 2016 11 20 a b Ian Sinclair Peter Ryan 2003 Birds of Africa south of the Sahara Struik pp 472 473 ISBN 1 86872 857 9 a b c Mocking Cliff chat Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris HBW Alive Lynx Edicions Retrieved 2016 11 20 a b Zimmerman Dale A Turner Donald A Pearson David J 1996 Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania Helm p 548 ISBN 0 7136 3968 7 a b c d Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris Mocking cliff chat Mocking chat Biodiversity Explorer Iziko Museums of South Africa Retrieved 2016 11 20 External links editMocking cliff chat Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds Recordings at Xeno Canto Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mocking cliff chat amp oldid 1136640573, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
