Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Tractrac Chat (Emarginata tractrac)
Tractrac Chat

Tractrac Chat

Emarginata tractrac

The tractrac chat, a small passerine bird belonging to the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae, is a familiar sight in the southern reaches of Angola, the arid expanses of western Namibia, and the western fringes of South Africa. This diminutive bird, measuring a mere 14-15 cm in length and tipping the scales at around 20 grams, is easily recognized by its distinctive tail pattern: a white base with a contrasting dark inverted "T" at the tip, a motif reminiscent of the wheatears.

Identification Tips

Upon closer inspection, one notes the tractrac chat's short, straight bill and the inky blackness of its legs and feet. Its eyes are dark, piercing. The plumage varies geographically; the Namib form, adapted to hummock dunes and coastal areas, sports almost white feathers with grey wings and tail markings. In contrast, the south-eastern form, a denizen of gravel plains, boasts brown upperparts with blackish flight feathers and tail markings, and a pristine white underbelly. Both sexes are similarly attired, though juveniles display a more mottled appearance.

Habitat

The tractrac chat thrives in the Karoo and desert scrub, making its home amidst hummock dunes and gravel plains, landscapes that offer both the shelter and the open space it requires.

Distribution

This chat's range is extensive, encompassing the southernmost tip of Angola, spreading through western Namibia, and reaching into western South Africa.

Behaviour

A creature of habit, the tractrac chat constructs a cup-shaped nest from straw and leaves, typically situated on the ground under the protective cover of a bush or shrub. It lays two to three eggs, colored a delicate red, and is known for its monogamous nature, often pairing for life. In its daily life, the tractrac chat is most commonly observed alone or in pairs, foraging for insects such as butterflies, bees, wasps, locusts, and ants, which it catches in brief flights from the ground.

Song & Calls

The tractrac chat communicates with a soft, rapid "tactac" song and employs a louder, chattering call when defending its territory.

Breeding

The tractrac chat is a dedicated partner, forming monogamous bonds that last a lifetime. Its breeding ritual involves the construction of a ground nest where it lays its clutch of two to three red eggs.

Similar Species

When distinguishing the tractrac chat from its relatives, note that it is smaller than the Karoo chat, which has white outer tail feathers extending to the tip. It also presents a paler and greyer appearance than the Familiar and sickle-winged chats, both of which have a darker rump.

Diet and Feeding

The tractrac chat's diet consists primarily of insects, which it captures in short flights from its ground-level vantage point.

Conservation status

The tractrac chat is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List. With an estimated range of 1,000,000 km² and a presumed large population size, the species does not meet the criteria for population decline that would warrant a higher level of concern.

Tractrac Chat Sounds


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

Tractrac Chats on Birda

Sightings
A map showing the sighting location
Profile picture for Aart Verrips
Aart Verrips
09 Sep 2024 - 12:53pm
Namibia

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
Madstherangers
A mordern game changer
Birda is an awesome app, its updated the world of birding to the modern day with a fun and easy to use app. It’s engaging and allows positive interaction with fellow bird lovers!
Chudbond
Love Birda
I love this app. It really encourages you to log your sightings and the community is friendly and helpful.
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!
Hip An
Fantastic
Really enjoying Birda where I live i have a lot of Red kites really hard to photograph but I can video are you planning some place on the app where us Birda can post vids🦉🦅
David C
Very knowledgeable group
Nice friendly birding community. Very knowledgeable group with a willingness to help.
Viperray5
Loving it
I really enjoy being able to interact with other birders on this platform! This seems like a great way to meet other birders and find some new spots.
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!
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.
Paul F
Very good database
Highly recommend. It great that this app shows you male Vs female variations when posting. Very good database I'm really impressed.
Alice J
Awesome Birding Community
I absolutely love the community aspect of this app. The app is so user friendly and has fun interactive challenges to get you out birding. I’ve tried others but since I’ve started using Birda I’ve not gone back!
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.