African Stonechat

Saxicola torquatus

Silhouette: PhyloPic · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
FamilyMuscicapidae (Old World Flycatchers, Robins, and Chats)
GenusSaxicola (Stonechats and Bushchats)
SpeciesSaxicola torquatus (African Stonechat)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Murchison Falls National Park

3 Verified sightings at Murchison Falls National Park From 2019 to 2026

6,232 Verified sightings across all 43 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ 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 Murchison Falls National Park

Saxicola rubetra

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Empidornis semipartitus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Cichladusa guttata

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Myrmecocichla nigra

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Muscicapa aquatica

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Cossypha heuglini

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Bradornis pallidus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Oenanthe oenanthe

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Melaenornis edolioides

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Erythropygia leucophrys

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Erythropygia hartlaubi

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Oenanthe isabellina

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

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

← Back to Murchison Falls National Park

African Stonechat

About the African Stonechat

Recent sightings of African Stonechat in Murchison Falls National Park

Closest Relatives at Murchison Falls National Park

Whinchat

Silverbird

Spotted Morning-Thrush

Sooty Chat

Swamp Flycatcher

White-browed Robin-Chat

Pale Flycatcher

Northern Wheatear

Northern Black-Flycatcher

White-browed Scrub Robin

Brown-backed Scrub Robin

Isabelline Wheatear

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found