Skip to main content

Photo: Ron Knight / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush

Cichladusa ruficauda

Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush (Cichladusa ruficauda) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.

The Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush (Cichladusa ruficauda) is a member of the Muscicapidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 28.5 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

  1. Class Aves
  2. Order Passeriformes
  3. Family Muscicapidae Chats, Old World Flycatchers
  4. Genus Cichladusa
  5. Species ruficauda

Where it lives

Southern Central African Republic to northern Namibia

Quick facts

Weight
28.5 g
Family
Muscicapidae
Habitat
Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Behaviour

A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.

Migration

The Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush (Cichladusa ruficauda) belongs to the Muscicapidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF s Central African Republic to n Namibia.

It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 28.5 g, with a wing length of about 8.6 cm and a tail of around 8 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

Its mapped global range covers an estimated 699,000 km².

Songs & calls

Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush — Song

Recorded by Andrés Angulo Rubiano Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush?

The Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush is a small bird that weighs around 28.5 g.

Where does the Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush live?

The Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush is found across Africa with a range covering AF s Central African Republic to n Namibia, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.

What family does the Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush belong to?

The Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush (Cichladusa ruficauda) belongs to the Muscicapidae family, in the order Passeriformes.

What does the Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush eat?

The Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Does the Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush migrate?

The Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

What sound does the Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush make?

1 real field recording of the Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush's range?

The Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush has a mapped global range of about 699,000 km².

Conservation

Least Concern

Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.

How to help birds

Explore more birds

More in Muscicapidae

More in Songbirds

Guides for this bird

Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds

How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.

4 min read

Meet the Muscicapidae

A field guide to the Muscicapidae family — 355 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.

1 min read

Back to top