Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Drakensberg Rockjumper (Chaetops aurantius), male
Drakensberg Rockjumper, Male

Drakensberg Rockjumper

Chaetops aurantius

The Drakensberg rockjumper, also known as the orange-breasted rockjumper (Chaetops aurantius), presents a striking figure in its alpine habitat. This medium-sized passerine bird, measuring 23–25 cm in length, is characterized by a long black tail and robust legs. Males boast a dark grey head adorned with a slender white supercilium and a pronounced white moustache, while their back and wings share the same dark grey hue. The underparts are a vivid orange, and the rump is a rufous red. Females and juveniles are distinguished by a paler grey on the head, upperparts, and wings, with a more subdued head pattern, an orange rump, and buff underparts.

Identification Tips

When identifying the Drakensberg rockjumper, look for the male's distinctive dark grey head with white markings and orange underparts. The female and juvenile can be recognized by their paler grey and buff tones. The long black tail and strong legs are key features for both sexes.

Habitat

This species is endemic to the alpine grasslands and rock outcrops of the Drakensberg Mountains, where it is well-adapted to the rugged terrain.

Distribution

The Drakensberg rockjumper is found in the southeastern regions of South Africa and Lesotho, confined to the high-altitude grasslands of the Drakensberg range.

Behaviour

The Drakensberg rockjumper is a ground-nesting bird that forages on rocky slopes and scree. It is known to perch prominently on rocks. Breeding can be a cooperative effort, with previous offspring often assisting their parents in various tasks such as territorial defense, alarm calling, and feeding the nestlings and fledglings.

Song & Calls

The call of the Drakensberg rockjumper is a loud "wheeoo," which resonates across its mountainous habitat.

Breeding

This species nests on the ground and may engage in cooperative breeding, with assistance from one or two additional individuals, typically the pair's offspring from the previous breeding season.

Similar Species

The Drakensberg rockjumper is closely related to the Cape rockjumper (Chaetops frenatus). The male Cape rockjumper has rufous red underparts, while the female and young are darker buff below than in C. aurantius.

Diet and Feeding

As an insectivorous bird, the Drakensberg rockjumper primarily feeds on insects found within its rocky environment.

Conservation status

The Drakensberg rockjumper is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List, indicating that it faces threats that could lead to its vulnerability in the near future.

Drakensberg Rockjumper Sounds


Recorded by: © 
App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Drakensberg Rockjumpers on Birda

Photos
Sightings

More Rockjumpers

A photo of a Cape Rockjumper (Chaetops frenatus) , male

Cape Rockjumper

Chaetops frenatus
Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
EandB17
Terrific App for Birders
Downloaded Birda around the time my interest in birding was sparked, and it has been a terrific app to help me (1) share my experience, (2) document my sightings, and (3) learn more about birds in general. That said, I also believe Birda is a fantastic app for birders of all experience levels. Great community!
778
Great bird recording
For a while I’ve been trying to find an app to easily record bird lists and day out and struggled to find one that I like. Birda is great for this, straightforward and a great community!
Talli A
My favourite app
As a young birdwatcher who was always keen to be apart of a community but never seemed to find one, my problem was solved downloading this!!! Everyone is so friendly and just as excited to see birds as me 😁
Foxgirl100
Great app for beginner twitchers
I’ve had a passion of photographing birds for a long time now but have only just gotten into proper birdwatching, and this app is brilliant for those just getting started. There is a great sense of community among users and the app is very easy to use and professional. Awesome app altogether
Mike T
Sense of Community
A great app, which is continually being improved. What really comes through is the passion of those behind the app. The sense of community is brilliant, so much help and support provided to new and/or in experienced birders.
Carrie
Makes you want to spot birds more
I think this app is fun. It makes you want to spot birds more so I guess in a way it encourages you to get out and about instead of sitting in front of the TV.
Carl B
Helped me to identify more birds
Love this app and has helped me to identify more birds. The challenges and badges are great for keeping the motivation going to get out and keep birding.
Abi.M
Awesome App
I really enjoy using this app! It is such a friendly community of bird-lovers who are happy to help if I need ID advice. It’s been great motivation to get outdoors and go birding more! 10/10 😍😍
Emma L
App got me interested in birding!
Super friendly community <3 This app got me interested in birding! It teaches me cool stuff and its super friendly, and fun :) The species guide is really developing my knowledge, and i love seeing cool new birds from round the world!
Emcil24
A Friendly Place
I love using the bird app, I have a pretty good knowledge of birds. But I do have some gaps in it, so it’s nice to have a safe space to check on a sighting to confirm the species. It’s really enjoyable and I love the badges you can collect. It’s like a real life Pokémon go.
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.