Mocking Cliff Chat
Mocking Cliff ChatMocking Cliff ChatMocking Cliff ChatMocking Cliff Chat

Mocking Cliff Chat

Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris

Silhouette: Martin Bulla, based on François Desbordes' illustration · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Masai Mara National Reserve
60 Verified sightings at Masai Mara National Reserve From 2019 to 2026
1,351 Verified sightings across all 28 parks From 2019 to 2026
May Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

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 →

Closest Relatives at Masai Mara National Reserve

Sooty Chat
LC

Sooty Chat

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Myrmecocichla nigra

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
White-browed Robin-Chat
LC

White-browed Robin-Chat

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cossypha heuglini

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
African Gray Flycatcher
LC

African Gray Flycatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Bradornis microrhynchus

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

Northern Anteater-Chat

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Myrmecocichla aethiops

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Silverbird
LC

Silverbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Empidornis semipartitus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Northern Black-Flycatcher
LC

Northern Black-Flycatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melaenornis edolioides

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

Northern Wheatear

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Oenanthe oenanthe

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

Isabelline Wheatear

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Oenanthe isabellina

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
White-browed Scrub Robin

White-browed Scrub Robin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Erythropygia leucophrys

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Pale Flycatcher

Pale Flycatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Bradornis pallidus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Capped Wheatear
LC

Capped Wheatear

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Oenanthe pileata

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Spotted Flycatcher
LC

Spotted Flycatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Muscicapa striata

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 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~30%
2 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~20%
3 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~10%
4 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
5 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
6 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
7 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
8 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
9 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
10 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
11 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
12 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
13 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
<5%
14 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
15 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
16 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
17 Golden Gate Highlands National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
18 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
19 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
Insufficient data
20 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
21 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
Insufficient data
22 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
23 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
24 Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
25 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
26 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
27 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
28 Kibale National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Mocking Cliff Chat in Masai Mara National Reserve?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Mocking Cliff Chat sighting in Masai Mara National Reserve, based on 60 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Mocking Cliff Chat in Masai Mara National Reserve?

May has the highest sighting rate for Mocking Cliff Chat in Masai Mara National Reserve in our monthly data.

← Back to Masai Mara National Reserve