White-crowned cliff chat

The white-crowned cliff chat (Thamnolaea coronata) is a species of chat in the family Muscicapidae which occurs in rocky habitats in much of western Sub-Saharan Africa.

White-crowned cliff chat
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Muscicapidae
Genus: Thamnolaea
Species:
T. coronata
Binomial name
Thamnolaea coronata
(Reichenow, 1902)[1]
Synonyms

Myrmecocichla coronata Reichenow, 1902

Description

There are three subspecies and only the nominate subspecies has the white crown of the white-crowned cliff chat, although it is individually variable in extent and sometime consists of just a few feathers. The males are black above with white shoulder patches. These patches are largest in the subspecies T.c. cavernicola, smaller in T.c. bambarae, and absent in the nominate. They all have rufous coloring on the belly and vent, with a pale line separating the back of the breast from the rest of the underparts on T.c. cavernicola, lacking on T.c. bambarae, and wider on T.c. coronata. Additionally, T.c. cavernicola has a rufous rump. The females are similar to males and are duller, lacking any white shoulder patches or white borders on underparts. The female T.c. coronata has a paler head and the whole of her underparts are rufous. Length is 20 cm.[2]

Voice

A melodious rich and far-carrying song with many mimicked phrases; often pairs duet.[2]

Distribution, subspecies and taxonomy

The three currently recognised subspecies are listed below with their distributions:[1][3]

  • Thamnolaea coronata bambarae Bates, 1928: Southern Mauritania, eastern Senegal, and southwestern Mali.
  • Thamnolaea coronata cavernicola Bates, 1933: Central Mali in the Mopti region.
  • Thamnolaea coronata coronata Reichenow, 1902: northern Ivory Coast and eastern Burkina Faso east patchily to western South Sudan.

It is sometimes considered a subspecies of the mocking cliff chat.[3] Especially as many birds, even within the range of T.c. coronata, do not have white crowns.[2]

Habitat and habits

The white-crowned cliff chat is found in inselbergs, cliffs, and escarpments in savanna.[2]

Usually seen in pairs. Often slowly raises and lowers its tail, fanning it as it raises it vertically over the bird's back.[2]

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References
  1. "Thamnolaea coronata Reichenow, 1902". Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) (https://www.itis.gov). Retrieved 2016-11-20.
  2. Borrow, Nik; Demey, Ron (2001). Birds of Western Africa. A & C Black. p. 615. ISBN 0-7136-3959-8.
  3. "Mocking Cliff-chat (Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris)". HBW Alive. Lynx Edicions. Retrieved 2016-11-20.
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