Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a White-starred Robin (Pogonocichla stellata)
White-starred Robin

White-starred Robin

Pogonocichla stellata

The White-starred Robin, or Pogonocichla stellata, is a small, vividly colored bird with a bright yellow breast and belly. Its head is a slate color adorned with distinctive white spots at the eyes and throat, and its wings carry a hint of blue. This species is monotypic within its genus and exhibits sexual monomorphism, meaning males and females share a similar appearance.

Identification Tips

Adults of the nominate race boast a slate-grey head with white eye and throat spots. Their mantle is moss-green, transitioning to olive-green on the wings, while the rest of the wings are bluish-grey. The tail is black with yellow lateral stripes, and the legs are a soft pinkish hue. Juveniles are distinguishable by their blackish-brown upperparts with golden flecks and yellow underparts with brown scaling.

Habitat

The White-starred Robin thrives in moist evergreen forests with a rich understory of shrubs and vines. It can also be found in forest edges, plantations, and occasionally in bamboo or heath zones at higher elevations.

Distribution

This species is widely distributed across East and southern Africa, with its presence ranging from montane forests in the north to sea-level habitats further south. It is a partial migrant, moving to lower altitudes during the winter months, particularly in the southern parts of its range.

Behaviour

The White-starred Robin is a territorial bird, often seen foraging alone or in pairs. It exhibits altitudinal migration, with some populations descending to lower elevations during the non-breeding season.

Song & Calls

The robin's vocalizations are geographically variable, with both sexes singing a quiet territorial song from near the ground. The courtship call is a sustained "wiii wii wiii," while the loud contact call varies by subspecies, ranging from a disyllabic "too-twii" to a more complex multisyllabic sequence.

Breeding

Breeding seasons vary across the range, with the timing influenced by altitude and regional climate. The robin constructs a unique domed nest, camouflaged against the forest floor or elevated on a trunk or bank. Females lay two to three eggs, which they incubate alone.

Similar Species

While the White-starred Robin is monotypic, it can be confused with other robin species. However, its distinctive eye and throat spots, as well as its unique song, aid in differentiation.

Diet and Feeding

The diet is predominantly insectivorous, with beetles, moths, and ants being staple food items. Fruits are also consumed, with a variety of plant genera represented in their diet.

Conservation status

The White-starred Robin is currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, indicating a stable population across its extensive range.

White-starred Robin Sounds


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

White-starred Robins on Birda

Photos
Sightings

More Chats, Old World Flycatchers

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
Safira V
Birding and wellbeing app
Birda is an excellent platform to share your love of Birding and is a great tool of encouragement for a Birding Beginner like me. Birda has a very kind and supportive community of Birding enthusiasts. For me BIRDA is not only a BIRDING but also a WELLBEING App.
Chudbond
Love Birda
I love this app. It really encourages you to log your sightings and the community is friendly and helpful.
Nicole
Gets me outdoors more
I'm still loving this app. I use it most days & gets me outdoors more. Enjoying watching others progress and photo's, it's improved my wellbeing.... I love this app! I can keep a record of sightings and see what others have seen too.
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 😁
Stewart W
Fantastic to be involved
Fantastic to be involved, great for mental health and gets you responding with the Challenges that are to takd part in.
Patricia L
Very encouraging birding app
Easy to use, fun to see progress and encouraging to receive feedback from other users.
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!
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.
SuperOliviaGirl
Really great app
It’s easy to use and it’s fun to log the birds you notice on a walk or just in your garden. There’s a option to record the birds you see in a session which is really nice. Good excuse to stop for a while and just watch birds. I am also enjoying the information part where you can find out fact about birds from all over the world.
David C
Very knowledgeable group
Nice friendly birding community. Very knowledgeable group with a willingness to help.
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.