Photo: Chris Quirin / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
White-bellied Robin-Chat
Cossyphicula roberti
White-bellied Robin-Chat (Cossyphicula roberti) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
The White-bellied Robin-Chat (Cossyphicula roberti) is a member of the Muscicapidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 34 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 Cossyphicula
- Species roberti
Quick facts
- Weight
- 34 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The White-bellied Robin-Chat is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The White-bellied Robin-Chat is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The White-bellied Robin-Chat (Cossyphicula roberti) is a member of the Muscicapidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF c.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 34 g, with a wing length of about 6.8 cm and a tail of around 4.6 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 101,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White-bellied Robin-Chat?
The White-bellied Robin-Chat is a small bird that weighs around 34 g.
Where does the White-bellied Robin-Chat live?
The White-bellied Robin-Chat is found across Africa with a range covering AF c, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the White-bellied Robin-Chat belong to?
The White-bellied Robin-Chat (Cossyphicula roberti) belongs to the Muscicapidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the White-bellied Robin-Chat eat?
The White-bellied Robin-Chat is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the White-bellied Robin-Chat migrate?
The White-bellied Robin-Chat is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the White-bellied Robin-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 White-bellied Robin-Chat make?
1 real field recording of the White-bellied Robin-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 White-bellied Robin-Chat's range?
The White-bellied Robin-Chat has a mapped global range of about 101,000 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.