Photo: Francesco Veronesi from Italy / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
White-fronted Black Chat
Oenanthe albifrons
White-fronted Black Chat (Oenanthe albifrons) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
The White-fronted Black Chat (Oenanthe albifrons) is a member of the Muscicapidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 20.6 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 albifrons
Quick facts
- Weight
- 20.6 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The White-fronted Black Chat is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The White-fronted Black Chat is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The White-fronted Black Chat (Oenanthe albifrons) belongs to the Muscicapidae family of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF w, c, e.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 20.6 g, with a wing length of about 7.7 cm and a tail of around 5.7 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 3.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White-fronted Black Chat?
The White-fronted Black Chat is a small bird that weighs around 20.6 g.
Where does the White-fronted Black Chat live?
The White-fronted Black Chat is found across Africa with a range covering AF w, c, e, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the White-fronted Black Chat belong to?
The White-fronted Black Chat (Oenanthe albifrons) belongs to the Muscicapidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the White-fronted Black Chat eat?
The White-fronted Black Chat is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the White-fronted Black Chat migrate?
The White-fronted Black Chat is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the White-fronted Black 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-fronted Black Chat make?
1 real field recording of the White-fronted Black 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-fronted Black Chat's range?
The White-fronted Black Chat has a mapped global range of about 3.3 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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