African Stonechat
African StonechatAfrican StonechatAfrican StonechatAfrican Stonechat

African Stonechat

Saxicola torquatus

Silhouette: PhyloPic · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Lake Nakuru National Park
30 Verified sightings at Lake Nakuru National Park From 2019 to 2026
6,232 Verified sightings across all 43 parks From 2019 to 2026
April 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 Lake Nakuru National Park

Whinchat
LC

Whinchat

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Saxicola rubetra

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Northern Anteater-Chat
LC

Northern Anteater-Chat

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Myrmecocichla aethiops

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
White-browed Robin-Chat
LC

White-browed Robin-Chat

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cossypha heuglini

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher

White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dioptrornis fischeri

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Abyssinian Wheatear
LC

Abyssinian Wheatear

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Oenanthe lugubris

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Little Rock-Thrush
LC

Little Rock-Thrush

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Monticola rufocinereus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
African Gray Flycatcher
LC

African Gray Flycatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Bradornis microrhynchus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Pale Flycatcher

Pale Flycatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Bradornis pallidus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Northern Wheatear
LC

Northern Wheatear

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Oenanthe oenanthe

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Rüppell's Robin-Chat
LC

Rüppell's Robin-Chat

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cossypha semirufa

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Spotted Flycatcher
LC

Spotted Flycatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Muscicapa striata

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
African Dusky Flycatcher
LC

African Dusky Flycatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Muscicapa adusta

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

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 Lake Nakuru National Park?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a African Stonechat sighting in Lake Nakuru National Park, based on 30 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see African Stonechat in Lake Nakuru National Park?

April has the highest sighting rate for African Stonechat in Lake Nakuru National Park in our monthly data.

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