Photo: Charles J. Sharp / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Sooty Chat
Myrmecocichla nigra
Sooty Chat (Myrmecocichla nigra) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Sooty Chat (Myrmecocichla nigra) is a member of the Muscicapidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 40.3 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 nigra
Where it lives
Nigeria, Central African Republic and South Sudan to Angola, Zambia and Tanzania
Quick facts
- Weight
- 40.3 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Sooty 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 Sooty Chat is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Sooty Chat (Myrmecocichla nigra) is a member of the Muscicapidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF Nigeria, Central African Republic and South Sudan to Angola, Zambia and Tanzania.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 40.3 g, with a wing length of about 9.8 cm and a tail of around 5.9 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 3.5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Sooty Chat?
The Sooty Chat is a small bird that weighs around 40.3 g.
Where does the Sooty Chat live?
The Sooty Chat is found across Africa with a range covering AF Nigeria, Central African Republic and South Sudan to Angola, Zambia and Tanzania, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Sooty Chat belong to?
The Sooty Chat (Myrmecocichla nigra) belongs to the Muscicapidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Sooty Chat eat?
The Sooty Chat is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Sooty Chat migrate?
The Sooty Chat is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Sooty 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.
What sound does the Sooty Chat make?
1 real field recording of the Sooty Chat — 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 Sooty Chat's range?
The Sooty Chat has a mapped global range of about 3.5 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.