Cape rock thrush
Cape rock thrush | |
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Male in Marakele N.P., South Africa | |
Female at Suikerbosrand N.R. | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Passeriformes |
Family: | Muscicapidae |
Genus: | Monticola |
Species: | M. rupestris
|
Binomial name | |
Monticola rupestris (Vieillot, 1818)
|
The Cape rock thrush (Monticola rupestris) is a member of the
Muscicapidae. This rock thrush breeds in eastern and southern South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini. It is a common endemic resident, non-migratory
apart from seasonal altitudinal movements in some areas.
This species breeds in mountainous rocky areas with scattered vegetation. It lays 2-3
insects and other small animals, and some berries
.
This is a large stocky rock thrush 19–21 cm (7.5–8.3 in) in length. The summer male has a blue-grey head, orange underparts and outer tail feathers, and brown wings and back.
Females have a brown head, but their underparts are a much richer orange than those of other female rock thrushes. The outer tail feathers are reddish, like the male's. Immatures are like the female, but the upperparts have buff spots and the underparts show black scaling.
The male Cape rock thrush has a whistled song tsee-tsee-tseet-chee-chweeeoo, and occasionally mimics other birds.
References
- . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- Clement and Hathaway, Thrushes ISBN 0-7136-3940-7
- Sinclair, Hockey and Tarboton, SASOL Birds of Southern Africa, ISBN 1-86872-721-1
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Monticola rupestris.
- Cape rock thrush - Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds.