Cape Rock Thrush vs Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush

Cape Rock Thrush

Monticola rupestris

Medium61 gShrubland

This bird is large and stocky for a rock thrush, measuring 21-22 cm (8.26in) in length. The adult male during the summer features a blue-grey head, orange underparts and outer tail feathers, and brown wings and back. Females have a brown head and richer orange underparts compared to other female rock thrushes. Vocalizations are an important aspect of this species’ behavior. The male produces a whistled song described as “tsee-tsee-tseet-chee-chweeeoo” and is known to mimic other bird species.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: (c) Derek Keats, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by

Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush

Monticola rufiventris

Small53 gForest

The chestnut-bellied rock thrush is 21–23 cm (8.3–9.1 in) in overall length and weighs 48–61 g (1.7–2.2 oz). The male has a blue-grey crown and upperparts with darker lores and throat. The undersides are deep chestnut. The female has dull grey-brown upperparts and scalloped slate-grey with buffy-white underparts. The eyering and the post-auricular patch are whitish-buff.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: (c) Morten Ross, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Morten Ross · cc-by

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Cape Rock Thrush and Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush.