Sooty Chat
Myrmecocichla nigra
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)
- GenusMyrmecocichla (Black Chats and Allies)
- SpeciesMyrmecocichla nigra (Sooty Chat)
About the Sooty Chat
The sooty chat (Myrmecocichla nigra) is an African songbird of the chat subfamily. It is 15 to 16 cm (6 to 6.25 inches) long, stocky and relatively short-tailed for a chat. The adult male's plumage is glossy black except for white patches on the upper wings that are usually visible or only partly concealed (as in the photograph at upper right) when the bird is at rest. The female and young are very dark brown.
The song (in Kenya and northern Tanzania) is described as "prolonged, sweet and musical, sometimes given in flight, wee tewee tuweer, skwik-skueeeeer, cueee-eeeee-cuweeeeer, eee-euwee-tee, tseuwee-tew-skweeer-tsi-seet…." This species sometimes imitates other birds.
It occurs widely but discontinuously in African grasslands, from Senegal east to Kenya and south to Angola and Zambia. Its range is estimated at 3,400,000 km2, and it is considered "frequent" in at least parts of that area. Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Sooty Chat in Masai Mara National Reserve
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Masai Mara National Reserve
Northern Anteater-Chat
Myrmecocichla aethiops
White-browed Robin-Chat
Cossypha heuglini
African Gray Flycatcher
Bradornis microrhynchus
Silverbird
Empidornis semipartitus
Northern Black-Flycatcher
Melaenornis edolioides
Northern Wheatear
Oenanthe oenanthe
Isabelline Wheatear
Oenanthe isabellina
White-browed Scrub Robin
Erythropygia leucophrys
Pale Flycatcher
Bradornis pallidus
Capped Wheatear
Oenanthe pileata
Spotted Flycatcher
Muscicapa striata
Whinchat
Saxicola rubetra
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kidepo Valley National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 2 | Akagera National Park | 🇷🇼 Rwanda | |
| 3 | Masai Mara National Reserve | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 4 | Lake Mburo National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 5 | Queen Elizabeth National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 6 | Murchison Falls National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 7 | Serengeti National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 8 | Kafue National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 9 | Virunga National Park | 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
| 10 | Kibale National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 11 | Nyungwe National Park | 🇷🇼 Rwanda | |
| 12 | Ngorongoro Conservation Area | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 13 | Bwindi Impenetrable National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 14 | South Luangwa National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 15 | Lake Manyara National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Sooty Chat in Masai Mara National Reserve?
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Sooty Chat sighting in Masai Mara National Reserve, based on 1,434 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Sooty Chat in Masai Mara National Reserve?
May has the highest sighting rate for Sooty Chat in Masai Mara National Reserve in our monthly data.