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Photo: Drew Avery / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

White-crowned Robin-Chat

Cossypha albicapillus

White-crowned Robin-Chat (Cossypha albicapillus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.

The White-crowned Robin-Chat (Cossypha albicapillus) is a member of the Muscicapidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 58.5 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

  1. Class Aves
  2. Order Passeriformes
  3. Family Muscicapidae Chats, Old World Flycatchers
  4. Genus Cossypha
  5. Species albicapillus

Where it lives

Western, central, eastern

Quick facts

Weight
58.5 g
Family
Muscicapidae
Habitat
Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The White-crowned Robin-Chat is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Behaviour

A bird of semi-open woodland, it forages mainly on the ground.

Migration

The White-crowned Robin-Chat is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The White-crowned Robin-Chat (Cossypha albicapillus) is a member of the Muscicapidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF w, c, e.

It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 58.5 g, with a wing length of about 12.5 cm and a tail of around 13.1 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1.3 million km².

Songs & calls

White-crowned Robin-Chat — Song

Recorded by Romuald Mikusek Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the White-crowned Robin-Chat?

The White-crowned Robin-Chat is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 58.5 g.

Where does the White-crowned Robin-Chat live?

The White-crowned Robin-Chat is found across Africa with a range covering AF w, c, e, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.

What family does the White-crowned Robin-Chat belong to?

The White-crowned Robin-Chat (Cossypha albicapillus) belongs to the Muscicapidae family, in the order Passeriformes.

What does the White-crowned Robin-Chat eat?

The White-crowned Robin-Chat is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Does the White-crowned Robin-Chat migrate?

The White-crowned Robin-Chat is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the White-crowned 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-crowned Robin-Chat make?

1 real field recording of the White-crowned 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-crowned Robin-Chat's range?

The White-crowned Robin-Chat has a mapped global range of about 1.3 million km².

Conservation

Least Concern

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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