Photo: Diego Delso / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Anteater Chat
Myrmecocichla aethiops
Anteater Chat (Myrmecocichla aethiops) — 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 Anteater Chat (Myrmecocichla aethiops) is a member of the Muscicapidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 56.6 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 aethiops
Quick facts
- Weight
- 56.6 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Endangered
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Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Anteater 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 Anteater Chat is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Anteater Chat (Myrmecocichla aethiops) is a member of the Muscicapidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF e, c, w.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 56.6 g, with a wing length of about 11.2 cm and a tail of around 7.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 2.2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Anteater Chat?
The Anteater Chat is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 56.6 g.
Where does the Anteater Chat live?
The Anteater Chat is found across Africa with a range covering AF e, c, w, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Anteater Chat belong to?
The Anteater Chat (Myrmecocichla aethiops) belongs to the Muscicapidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Anteater Chat eat?
The Anteater Chat is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Anteater Chat migrate?
The Anteater Chat is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Anteater 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 Anteater Chat make?
1 real field recording of the Anteater Chat — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Anteater Chat's range?
The Anteater Chat has a mapped global range of about 2.2 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.