The white-crowned cliff chat (''Thamnolaea coronata'') is a species of

chat Chat or chats may refer to: Communication * Conversation, particularly casual * Online chat, text message communication over the Internet in real-time * Synchronous conferencing, a formal term for online chat * SMS chat, a form of text messagin ...

in the family Muscicapidae which occurs in rocky habitats in much of western

Sub-Saharan Africa Sub-Saharan Africa is, geographically, the area and regions of the continent of Africa that lies south of the Sahara. These include West Africa, East Africa, Central Africa, and Southern Africa. Geopolitically, in addition to the List of sov ...

Description

There are three

subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

of which only the nominate subspecies has the white crown, which is also individually variable in extent and sometimes limited to a few white feathers. The males are black above with white shoulder epaulets. The epaulets are largest in the subspecies ''T. c. cavernicola'', smaller in ''T. c. bambarae'', and variable but sometimes absent in the nominate. Males of all subspecies have rufous plumage on the belly and vent. A pale bar separates the breast from the rest of the underparts on ''T. c. cavernicola'', but is lacking on ''T. c. bambarae'', and wider on the nominate subspecies, ''T. c. coronata''. Additionally, ''T. c. cavernicola'' has a rufous rump. The females are similar to males but duller, lacking any white shoulder epaulets or a white band over the chest. The female of the nominate subspecies, ''T. c. coronata'', has a paler head while the whole of her underpart plumage is rufous. Length is 20 cm.

Voice

A melodious rich and far-carrying song with many mimicked phrases; often pairs duet.

Distribution, subspecies and taxonomy

The three currently recognised subspecies are listed below with their distributions: *''Thamnolaea coronata bambarae'' Bates, 1928 ― southern

Mauritania Mauritania (; ar, موريتانيا, ', french: Mauritanie; Berber: ''Agawej'' or ''Cengit''; Pulaar: ''Moritani''; Wolof: ''Gànnaar''; Soninke:), officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania ( ar, الجمهورية الإسلامية ...

, eastern Senegal, and southwestern Mali *''Thamnolaea coronata cavernicola'' Bates, 1933 ― central Mali in the

Mopti Mopti ( Bambara: ߡߏߕߌ tr. Moti) is a town and an urban commune in the Inner Niger Delta region of Mali. The town is the capital of the Mopti Cercle and the Mopti Region. Situated 630 km northeast of Bamako, the town lies at the conflue ...

region *''Thamnolaea coronata coronata'' Reichenow, 1902 ― northern

Ivory Coast Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital is Yamoussoukro, in the centre of the country, while its largest city and economic centre is ...

and eastern Burkina Faso east patchily to western South Sudan It is sometimes considered a

of 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. Description The mocking cliff chat is a l ...

, especially since many male birds, including individuals of the nominate subspecies, ''T. c. coronata'', do not have the distinctive white crown.

Habitat and habits

The white-crowned cliff chat is found in inselbergs, cliffs, and escarpments in savanna. Usually seen in pairs. Often slowly raises and lowers its tail, fanning it as it raises it vertically over the bird's back.

References

External links

Recordings of white-crowned cliff chat at Xeno-Canto
{{Taxonbar, from=Q3538084 white-crowned cliff chat Birds of West Africa white-crowned cliff chat