Species · GBIF taxon 2492582
Cape Robin-Chat
Cossypha caffraAlso known as Cape Robin, Jan Frederik
Cape robin-chats are energetic, terrestrial songbirds easily recognized by their bright orange breasts, white eyebrow stripes, and rufous tails that flick constantly. They are superb mimics, weaving the calls of other birds into their own rich, liquid songs at dawn and dusk. Often found in gardens, forest edges, and scrub, they forage on the ground, tossing leaf litter aside to find insects.
VocalistGarden BirdTerrestrial
Licensed referenceAlan Manson / CC BY-SA 2.0 · cc-by-sa
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Insects
- Spiders
- Earthworms
Predators
- Domestic Cats
- Snakes
- Raptors
ThreatsHabitat loss, domestic cats, and brood parasitism
HabitatsGardens, forest edges, riverine scrub, and fynbos
Life spanUp to 11 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyMuscicapidae
- SpeciesCossypha caffra
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Listen for mimicry: Sit quietly at dawn or dusk to hear them mimic other local bird species.
- Watch the tail: Look for the characteristic upward flick of the rufous tail when they land.
- Provide water: Attract them to gardens by maintaining a low, shaded birdbath near dense shrubbery.
Brood Parasite (c) Alan Manson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Dan Harville, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Shaun Swanepoel, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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