Brown-tailed Rock Chat
Oenanthe scotocerca
Brown-tailed Rock Chat (Oenanthe scotocerca) — 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 Brown-tailed Rock Chat (Oenanthe scotocerca) is a member of the Muscicapidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 16 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 Oenanthe
- Species scotocerca
Quick facts
- Weight
- 16 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Brown-tailed Rock Chat is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of rocky terrain, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Brown-tailed Rock Chat is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Brown-tailed Rock Chat (Oenanthe scotocerca) belongs to the Muscicapidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF ne, e.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 16 g, with a wing length of about 6.8 cm and a tail of around 5.5 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 555,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Brown-tailed Rock Chat?
The Brown-tailed Rock Chat is a small bird that weighs around 16 g.
Where does the Brown-tailed Rock Chat live?
The Brown-tailed Rock Chat is found across Africa with a range covering AF ne, e, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Brown-tailed Rock Chat belong to?
The Brown-tailed Rock Chat (Oenanthe scotocerca) belongs to the Muscicapidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Brown-tailed Rock Chat eat?
The Brown-tailed Rock Chat is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Brown-tailed Rock Chat migrate?
The Brown-tailed Rock Chat is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Brown-tailed Rock 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 Brown-tailed Rock Chat make?
1 real field recording of the Brown-tailed Rock 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 Brown-tailed Rock Chat's range?
The Brown-tailed Rock Chat has a mapped global range of about 555,000 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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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.