Arnot's Chat (Myrmecocichla arnotti) | Photos and ID

LCLeast ConcernInvertebrates

WoodlandCavity nestSmall · 40 g

Arnot's Chat (Myrmecocichla arnotti), photo 5 — Photo: (c) scaup, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY

Arnot's Chat (Myrmecocichla arnotti), photo 6 — Photo: (c) Christiaan Viljoen, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY

Arnot's Chat (Myrmecocichla arnotti), photo 7 — Photo: (c) Peter Archdale, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY

Arnot's Chat (Myrmecocichla arnotti), photo 8 — Photo: (c) Nicola Crockford, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY

Arnot's Chat (Myrmecocichla arnotti), photo 9 — Photo: (c) William Stephens, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY

Arnot's Chat (Myrmecocichla arnotti), photo 10 — Photo: (c) i_c_riddell, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY

ID tip

Arnot's chat ranges in size from 16 to 18 cm (6.3–7.1 in) and weighs around 35 g (1.2 oz). The plumage of the adults is sexually dimorphic; the male of the nominate race is overall black with a white crown and a white patch on the wing coverts. The female is similar but with a black crown and a white (tipped with black) throat and neck. The bill and legs are black. Juvenile birds are like the adults but with white feather tips on the crown or throat instead of fuller white.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Arnot's Chat

One bar for each month, and every month is filled: this bird is recorded here in all twelve. The wide bar is October, the month with the most records.

Where to see the Arnot's Chat

Regular rangeRare visitor

The map shades 13 countries with regular records, and 1 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

Zambia Rwanda South Africa Botswana Zimbabwe Malawi Tanzania Namibia Uganda Mozambique Congo - Kinshasa Burundi Angola

Recorded as a rare visitor in Kenya.

About the Arnot's Chat

Arnot's chat, also known as the white-headed black-chat, is a species of bird in the chat and flycatcher family Muscicapidae. The species is found in southern Africa from Rwanda and Angola to South Africa.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Rüppell's Black ChatMyrmecocichla melaenaRüppell's black chat is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae.

Congo Moor ChatMyrmecocichla tholloniThe Congo moor chat or Congo moor-chat is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae.

Anteater ChatMyrmecocichla aethiopsThe anteater chat or northern anteater-chat is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae.

Side by side: Arnot's Chat vs Sooty Chat

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