African Stonechat
African StonechatAfrican StonechatAfrican StonechatAfrican Stonechat

African Stonechat

Saxicola torquatus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
at Golden Gate Highlands National Park
108 Verified sightings at Golden Gate Highlands National Park From 2019 to 2026
6,232 Verified sightings across all 43 parks From 2019 to 2026
September Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the African Stonechat

The African stonechat or common stonechat (Saxicola torquatus) is a species of the Old World flycatcher family (Muscicapidae), inhabiting sub-Saharan Africa and adjacent regions. Like the other chats, it was long assigned to the thrush family (Turdidae), to which the chats are convergent. Its scientific name refer to its appearance and habitat and means "collared rock-dweller": Saxicola from Latin saxum ("rock") + incola ("one who dwells in a place"), torquatus, Latin for "collared".

In the past S. torquatus usually referred to the entire "common stonechat" superspecies and some sources still keep it that way, but all available evidence strongly supports full species status for the European (S. rubicola) and the Siberian stonechat (S. maurus) of temperate Eurasia, in addition to the island-endemics Fuerteventura chat (S. dacotiae) and Réunion stonechat (S. tectes) which were never unequivocally accepted into S. torquatus. The Madagascar stonechat (S. t. sibilla) has sometimes been considered distinct. In addition, the well-marked populations of the Horn of Africa uplands may well qualify for an additional species.

In 1760, the French zoologist Mathurin... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Golden Gate Highlands National Park

Familiar Chat
LC

Familiar Chat

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Oenanthe familiaris

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Cape Rockthrush
LC

Cape Rockthrush

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Monticola rupestris

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Mountain Chat

Mountain Chat

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Oenanthe monticola

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Buff-streaked Bushchat
LC

Buff-streaked Bushchat

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Campicoloides bifasciatus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Southern Anteater-Chat
LC

Southern Anteater-Chat

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Myrmecocichla formicivora

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Sentinel Rock-Thrush
NT

Sentinel Rock-Thrush

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Monticola explorator

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Mocking Cliff Chat
LC

Mocking Cliff Chat

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Fiscal Flycatcher
LC

Fiscal Flycatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sigelus silens

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Capped Wheatear
LC

Capped Wheatear

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Oenanthe pileata

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Short-toed Rock-Thrush
LC

Short-toed Rock-Thrush

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Monticola brevipes

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Sickle-winged Chat
LC

Sickle-winged Chat

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Emarginata sinuata

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
White-browed Scrub Robin

White-browed Scrub Robin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Erythropygia leucophrys

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Golden Gate Highlands National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~70%
2 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~50%
3 Volcanoes National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
~50%
4 Nyungwe National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
~40%
5 Aberdare National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~40%
6 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~20%
7 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
~20%
8 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~20%
9 Bale Mountains National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
~20%
10 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
~20%
11 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
~10%
12 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
13 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
14 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
~10%
15 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
16 Ranomafana National Park 🇲🇬 Madagascar
~10%
17 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
18 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
~10%
19 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
20 Bwindi Impenetrable National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
21 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
22 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
23 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
24 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
<5%
25 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
26 Mikumi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
27 Kibale National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
28 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
<5%
29 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
30 Lake Mburo National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
31 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
32 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
33 Ankarafantsika National Park 🇲🇬 Madagascar
Insufficient data
34 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
Insufficient data
35 Awash National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
Insufficient data
36 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
37 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
38 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
39 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
40 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
41 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
42 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
43 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a African Stonechat in Golden Gate Highlands National Park?

About 70% of wildlife watchers report a African Stonechat sighting in Golden Gate Highlands National Park, based on 108 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see African Stonechat in Golden Gate Highlands National Park?

September has the highest sighting rate for African Stonechat in Golden Gate Highlands National Park in our monthly data.

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