Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dkeats/ / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Mocking Cliff Chat
Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris
Mocking Cliff Chat (Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Mocking Cliff Chat (Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris) is a member of the Muscicapidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 39.8 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 Thamnolaea
- Species cinnamomeiventris
Quick facts
- Weight
- 39.8 g
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Mocking Cliff Chat is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Behaviour
A bird of rocky terrain, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Mocking Cliff Chat is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Mocking Cliff Chat (Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris) is a member of the Muscicapidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF wc, c, s.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 39.8 g, with a wing length of about 11.2 cm and a tail of around 9.1 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 3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Mocking Cliff Chat?
The Mocking Cliff Chat is a small bird that weighs around 39.8 g.
Where does the Mocking Cliff Chat live?
The Mocking Cliff Chat is found across Africa with a range covering AF wc, c, s, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Mocking Cliff Chat belong to?
The Mocking Cliff Chat (Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris) belongs to the Muscicapidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Mocking Cliff Chat eat?
The Mocking Cliff Chat is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the Mocking Cliff Chat migrate?
The Mocking Cliff Chat is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Mocking Cliff 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 Mocking Cliff Chat make?
1 real field recording of the Mocking Cliff 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 Mocking Cliff Chat's range?
The Mocking Cliff Chat has a mapped global range of about 3 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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Meet the Muscicapidae
A field guide to the Muscicapidae family — 355 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.