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 Serengeti National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Serengeti National Park
Northern Anteater-Chat
Myrmecocichla aethiops
Silverbird
Empidornis semipartitus
African Gray Flycatcher
Bradornis microrhynchus
White-browed Robin-Chat
Cossypha heuglini
Northern Wheatear
Oenanthe oenanthe
Capped Wheatear
Oenanthe pileata
White-browed Scrub Robin
Erythropygia leucophrys
Isabelline Wheatear
Oenanthe isabellina
Spotted Flycatcher
Muscicapa striata
Northern Black-Flycatcher
Melaenornis edolioides
Spotted Morning-Thrush
Cichladusa guttata
Pied Wheatear
Oenanthe pleschanka
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 Serengeti National Park?
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Sooty Chat sighting in Serengeti National Park, based on 855 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Sooty Chat in Serengeti National Park?
August has the highest sighting rate for Sooty Chat in Serengeti National Park in our monthly data.