Photo: Лариса Артемьева / CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Cape Robin-Chat
Dessonornis caffer
Cape Robin-Chat (Dessonornis caffer) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Cape Robin-Chat (Dessonornis caffer) is a member of the Muscicapidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 28.5 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Muscicapidae Chats, Old World Flycatchers
- Genus Dessonornis
- Species caffer
Quick facts
- Weight
- 28.5 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Cape Robin-Chat is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Cape Robin-Chat is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Cape Robin-Chat (Dessonornis caffer) belongs to the Muscicapidae family of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF e, se, s.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 28.5 g, with a wing length of about 8.1 cm and a tail of around 7.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1.6 million km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Cape Robin-Chat?
The Cape Robin-Chat is a small bird that weighs around 28.5 g.
Where does the Cape Robin-Chat live?
The Cape Robin-Chat is found across Africa with a range covering AF e, se, s, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Cape Robin-Chat belong to?
The Cape Robin-Chat (Dessonornis caffer) belongs to the Muscicapidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Cape Robin-Chat eat?
The Cape Robin-Chat is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Cape Robin-Chat migrate?
The Cape Robin-Chat is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Cape Robin-Chat endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
How large is the Cape Robin-Chat's range?
The Cape Robin-Chat has a mapped global range of about 1.6 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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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.
Meet the Muscicapidae
A field guide to the Muscicapidae family — 355 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.