Mocking Cliff Chat
Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris
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)
- GenusThamnolaea (Cliff-Chats)
- SpeciesThamnolaea cinnamomeiventris (Mocking Cliff Chat)
About the Mocking Cliff Chat
The mocking cliff chat, mocking chat or cliff chat, (Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris) is a species of chat in the family Muscicapidae which occurs in rocky habitats in much of eastern Sub-Saharan Africa. It is the only species placed in the genus Thamnolaea.
The mocking cliff chat was formally described and illustrated in 1836 by the French ornithologist Frédéric de Lafresnaye based on a specimen that had been sent to France from the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. Lafresnaye placed the species with the thrushes in the genus Turdus and coined the binomial name Turdus cinnamomeiventris. The specific epithet combines Modern Latin cinnamomeus meaning "cinnamon-coloured" with Latin venter, ventris meaning "belly". The type locality has been designated as Cape Province. The mocking cliff chat is now the only species placed in the genus Thamnolaea that was introduced in 1851 by the German ornithologist Jean Cabanis. The genus name combines the Ancient Greek θαμνος/thamnos meaning "bush" with λαιος/laios meaning "thrush".
Nine subspecies are recognised: T. c. cavernicola Bates, GL, 1933 – central Mali T. c. bambarae Bates, GL, 1928 – south Mauritania, east Senegal and southwest... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Mocking Cliff Chat in Kruger National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Kruger National Park
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Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Mocking Cliff Chat in Kruger National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Mocking Cliff Chat sighting in Kruger National Park, based on 613 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Mocking Cliff Chat in Kruger National Park?
November has the highest sighting rate for Mocking Cliff Chat in Kruger National Park in our monthly data.