Photo: flowcomm / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
White-browed Robin-Chat
Cossypha heuglini
White-browed Robin-Chat (Cossypha heuglini) — 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 White-browed Robin-Chat (Cossypha heuglini) is a member of the Muscicapidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 34.8 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 Cossypha
- Species heuglini
Quick facts
- Weight
- 34.8 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The White-browed Robin-Chat is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of rivers and riverside habitats, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The White-browed Robin-Chat is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The White-browed Robin-Chat (Cossypha heuglini) belongs to the Muscicapidae family of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF c, e, s.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 34.8 g, with a wing length of about 9.5 cm and a tail of around 8.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 6.4 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White-browed Robin-Chat?
The White-browed Robin-Chat is a small bird that weighs around 34.8 g.
Where does the White-browed Robin-Chat live?
The White-browed Robin-Chat is found across Africa with a range covering AF c, e, s, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the White-browed Robin-Chat belong to?
The White-browed Robin-Chat (Cossypha heuglini) belongs to the Muscicapidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the White-browed Robin-Chat eat?
The White-browed Robin-Chat is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the White-browed Robin-Chat migrate?
The White-browed Robin-Chat is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the White-browed 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-browed Robin-Chat make?
1 real field recording of the White-browed Robin-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 White-browed Robin-Chat's range?
The White-browed Robin-Chat has a mapped global range of about 6.4 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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