White-browed Robin-Chat
Cossypha heuglini
Thickets. Underparts entirely rich orange extending to rump and tail fringes; white eyebrows on black hood.
LC
Not Endemic
Description
Common, localised resident. Told from other white-browed robin-chats by entirely deep orange underparts plus black cap and mask offset by bold white eyebrow. Immature similar but spotted. Considered by some as the best songster in Africa. The song consists of various melodious phrases repeated, starting quietly then working up to a crescendo ‘pip-pip-uree, pip-pip-uree…’ or ‘don’t-you-do-it, don’t-you-do-it…’ or ‘tirrootirree, tirrootirree…’ each phrase repeated up to about 16 times. Sings mostly at dawn and dusk, often two birds together. Inhabits dense thickets in riverine forests and at the base of densely wooded hills and termitaria. A garden bird in some Zimbabwe towns.
Quick Facts
Size
19-20 cm - S
Names
A: Heuglinjanfrederik
Z: unomtshingo
G: Weißbrauenrötel
Bird Family
Largely terrestrial, insectivorous or frugivorous birds that sing from trees, some robins rating as among our finest songsters. The sexes are alike unless otherwise stated, while immatures usually have the feathers of the upperparts pale-edged, the underparts spotted.
Distribution
Gallery
Behaviour
Breeding
Habitat
Inhabits dense thickets in riverine 'forest's and at the base of densely wooded hills and termitaria.
