Photo: Brian Gratwicke from DC, USA / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Sentinel Rock Thrush
Monticola explorator
Sentinel Rock Thrush (Monticola explorator) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Sentinel Rock Thrush (Monticola explorator) is a member of the Muscicapidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 44.4 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Muscicapidae Chats, Old World Flycatchers
- Genus Monticola
- Species explorator
Quick facts
- Weight
- 44.4 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Endangered
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Sentinel Rock Thrush is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Sentinel Rock Thrush is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Sentinel Rock Thrush (Monticola explorator) belongs to the Muscicapidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF s.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 44.4 g, with a wing length of about 10 cm and a tail of around 6.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 369,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Sentinel Rock Thrush?
The Sentinel Rock Thrush is a small bird that weighs around 44.4 g.
Where does the Sentinel Rock Thrush live?
The Sentinel Rock Thrush is found across Africa with a range covering AF s, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Sentinel Rock Thrush belong to?
The Sentinel Rock Thrush (Monticola explorator) belongs to the Muscicapidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Sentinel Rock Thrush eat?
The Sentinel Rock Thrush is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Sentinel Rock Thrush migrate?
The Sentinel Rock Thrush is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Sentinel Rock Thrush endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Sentinel Rock Thrush make?
1 real field recording of the Sentinel Rock 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 Sentinel Rock Thrush's range?
The Sentinel Rock Thrush has a mapped global range of about 369,000 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
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.
Meet the Muscicapidae
A field guide to the Muscicapidae family — 355 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.