Photo: Derek Keats from Johannesburg, South Africa / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Cape Rock Thrush
Monticola rupestris
Cape Rock Thrush (Monticola rupestris) — 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 Cape Rock Thrush (Monticola rupestris) is a member of the Muscicapidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 61.4 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 Monticola
- Species rupestris
Quick facts
- Weight
- 61.4 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Endangered
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Cape Rock Thrush is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of open scrub and shrubland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Cape Rock Thrush is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Cape Rock Thrush (Monticola rupestris) is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF se Botswana and sw Mozambique to s South Africa.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 61.4 g, with a wing length of about 11.2 cm and a tail of around 7.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 558,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Cape Rock Thrush?
The Cape Rock Thrush is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 61.4 g.
Where does the Cape Rock Thrush live?
The Cape Rock Thrush is found across Africa with a range covering AF se Botswana and sw Mozambique to s South Africa, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Cape Rock Thrush belong to?
The Cape Rock Thrush (Monticola rupestris) belongs to the Muscicapidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Cape Rock Thrush eat?
The Cape Rock Thrush is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Cape Rock Thrush migrate?
The Cape Rock Thrush is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Cape Rock 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 Cape Rock Thrush make?
1 real field recording of the Cape 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 Cape Rock Thrush's range?
The Cape Rock Thrush has a mapped global range of about 558,000 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
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