About the White-starred Robin
The white-starred robin is a species of bird in the Old World flycatcher and chat family Muscicapidae. It is also sometimes more simply called the starred robin. It is monotypic within the genus Pogonocichla. There are around twelve subspecies. The species is found in East and southern Africa. It occurs in forested areas in the Afromontane of sub-Saharan Africa. It is a brightly coloured robin with a bright yellow breast and belly, a slate coloured head with spots on the eyes and throat and blueish wings.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
The white-starred robin is a small robin, 15 to 16 cm (5.9–6.3 in) in length and weighing between 18 and 25 g (0.63–0.88 oz), with the females being slightly smaller than the males. The plumage of the nominate race is slate-grey on the head, with a white spot in front of each eye and another small one on the throat. The mantle and part of the wings are green (moss-green in the mantle, olive-green on the wings), the rest of the wings are bluish grey, and the tail is black with yellow lateral stripes. The breast and belly are bright yellow, and the legs are pinkish. Voice: The calls and songs of the white-starred robin are geographically variable. Both sexes sing the territorial advertising song, which is a quiet song sung from near the ground. The courtship call is sung during a display flight, and is rendered as a sustained "wiii wii wiii". The loud contact call, also used as a warning call, varies by subspecies.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where the White-starred Robin lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Lesotho.
When to see the White-starred Robin
Peak activity in October · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Sooty ChatMyrmecocichla nigraIt is 15 to 16 cm (6 to 6.25 inches) long, stocky and relatively short-tailed for a chat.
Mourning WheatearOenanthe lugensThe mourning wheatear measures 14–16 cm (5.5–6.3 in) in length and weighs between 19–25 g (0.67–0.88 oz).
Snowy-crowned Robin-ChatCossypha niveicapillaThe snowy-crowned robin-chat is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae.
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