Chorister Robin-Chat
Cossypha dichroa
Silhouette: Martin Bulla, based on François Desbordes' illustration · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyMuscicapidae (Old World Flycatchers, Robins, and Chats)
- GenusCossypha (Typical Robin-Chats)
- SpeciesCossypha dichroa (Chorister Robin-Chat)
About the Chorister Robin-Chat
The chorister robin-chat (Cossypha dichroa) (previously known as the chorister robin) is a species of bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is found in South Africa and Eswatini. Its distribution stretches from the southern Western Cape through the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Mpumalanga to northern Limpopo. Its natural habitat is evergreen forests, especially in the mist belt region.
The chorister robin-chat was formally described in 1789 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition of Carl Linnaeus's Systema Naturae. He placed it with the flycatchers in the genus Muscicapa and coined the binomial name Muscicapa dichroa. Gmelin specified the locality as South Africa. This was restricted to Knysna in Western Cape province by Phillip Clancey in 1966.
Gmelin based his account on the "Muscicapa bicolor" that had been described and illustrated in 1787 by the Swedish naturalist Anders Sparrman. The hand-coloured engraved plate had been drawn by Jonas Carl Linnerhielm. The combination Muscicapa bicolor had been previously introduced in 1783 by the Dutch naturalist Pieter Boddaert for a different taxon and therefore... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Chorister Robin-Chat in Garden Route National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Garden Route National Park
African Dusky Flycatcher
Muscicapa adusta
Fiscal Flycatcher
Sigelus silens
White-starred Robin
Pogonocichla stellata
African Stonechat
Saxicola torquatus
Capped Wheatear
Oenanthe pileata
Karoo Scrub-Robin
Tychaedon coryphoeus
Short-toed Rock-Thrush
Monticola brevipes
Cape Rockthrush
Monticola rupestris
Spotted Flycatcher
Muscicapa striata
Familiar Chat
Oenanthe familiaris
White-browed Scrub Robin
Erythropygia leucophrys
Ashy Alseonax
Muscicapa caerulescens
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Garden Route National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Addo Elephant National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 4 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 5 | Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Chorister Robin-Chat in Garden Route National Park?
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Chorister Robin-Chat sighting in Garden Route National Park, based on 500 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Chorister Robin-Chat in Garden Route National Park?
October has the highest sighting rate for Chorister Robin-Chat in Garden Route National Park in our monthly data.