Photo: Maans Booysen, Birding Weto / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Congo Moor Chat
Myrmecocichla tholloni
Congo Moor Chat (Myrmecocichla tholloni) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
The Congo Moor Chat (Myrmecocichla tholloni) is a member of the Muscicapidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 41.6 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 Myrmecocichla
- Species tholloni
Quick facts
- Weight
- 41.6 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Endangered
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Congo Moor Chat is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Congo Moor Chat is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Congo Moor Chat (Myrmecocichla tholloni) is a member of the Muscicapidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF Central African Republic; Gabon to sw DR Congo and c Angola.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 41.6 g, with a wing length of about 10.1 cm and a tail of around 6.3 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 252,000 km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Congo Moor Chat?
The Congo Moor Chat is a small bird that weighs around 41.6 g.
Where does the Congo Moor Chat live?
The Congo Moor Chat is found across Africa with a range covering AF Central African Republic; Gabon to sw DR Congo and c Angola, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Congo Moor Chat belong to?
The Congo Moor Chat (Myrmecocichla tholloni) belongs to the Muscicapidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Congo Moor Chat eat?
The Congo Moor Chat is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Congo Moor Chat migrate?
The Congo Moor Chat is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Congo Moor 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 Congo Moor Chat's range?
The Congo Moor Chat has a mapped global range of about 252,000 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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