Bird Guide

Chorister Robin-Chat vs White-browed Robin-Chat

Chorister Robin-Chat (Cossypha dichroa)

Chorister Robin-Chat

Cossypha dichroa

Small46 gForest

This is a large robin-chat, about 20 cm (7.9 in) in length. It is identified by its dark upperparts (the ear coverts and lores are slightly darker than the rest of the face, head, neck and back) and yellow-orange underparts. It has no white eye stripe. Juveniles have a sooty, mottled tawny-buff above and below and its tail is red-orange with a dark centre.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Burgert Jordaan · CC BY 4.0
White-browed Robin-Chat (Cossypha heuglini)

White-browed Robin-Chat

Cossypha heuglini

Small35 gRiverine

The white-browed robin-chat is 19–20 cm (7.5–7.9 in) long and weighs 29–51 g (1.0–1.8 oz). The crown and face are black, and there is a white supercilium over the dark brown eye. The back is olive grey-brown, and the rump is rufous. The two central tail feathers are olive-brown, and the other feathers are orange-rufous. The flight feathers and wing coverts are grey-brown, and the underwing coverts are rufous. The underparts are bright orange-rufous. The beak is black, and the legs are pinkish-brown, brownish grey, or dark brown. The female is a little smaller than the male. Voice: The white-browed robin-chat's contact calls include repeated pit-porlee, chiiritter-porlii and da-da-tee and end with da-teee or chickle-ter-tweep. The alarm call is takata-kata-kata. The melodious song, usually given at dawn and dusk, is quiet at first and then becomes louder; it consists of pip-pip-uree, don't-you-do-it or tirrootirree phrases that can be repeated more than ten times.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the White-browed Robin-Chat
Recorded by paulo kivuyo · Dawn song · amani nature reserve, Tanzania · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: biogeek · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Chorister Robin-Chat and White-browed Robin-Chat.