Mocking Cliff Chat

The mocking cliff chat (Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris) presents a striking figure in the avian world. Males boast a glossy black plumage contrasted with a chestnut belly, vent, and rump, and are adorned with white shoulder patches whose size may vary across their range. Females, on the other hand, wear a more subdued dark grey with a chestnut lower breast, belly, and vent. These robust chats measure between 19–21 cm in length and tip the scales at a modest 41–51 grams.

Identification Tips

When identifying the mocking cliff chat, look for the male's distinctive white shoulder patches and glossy black feathers, alongside the chestnut underparts. Females can be discerned by their grey plumage with chestnut coloring on the lower regions. Their tail-wagging behavior is also a helpful cue, as they tend to slowly raise it over their backs and fan it out.

Habitat

This species is a connoisseur of rocky terrains, favoring boulder-strewn areas, wooded ravines, cliffs, gullies, and hillsides. They are also known to frequent watercourses in valley bottoms that are dotted with scattered rocks.

Distribution

The mocking cliff chat is found in a neat band stretching from central Ethiopia through East Africa into Zimbabwe, southeastern Botswana, southern Mozambique, and eastern South Africa, reaching as far as the far east of Western Cape province.

Behaviour

The mocking cliff chat is primarily insectivorous but has a diverse palate that includes fruit and nectar from plants like the Krantz aloe (Aloe arborescens). They exhibit a foraging technique that involves pouncing on ground prey from a perch and will also glean food from branches and foliage.

Song & Calls

The species is known for its loud, fluty, melodious warbling song, which is a medley of rapid-fire phrases that mimic other birds, interspersed with some harsher tones.

Breeding

Both sexes are involved in nest building, which takes about a week to complete. The nest is an open cup built upon a foundation of twigs, leaves, roots, and feathers, and lined with mammal hair. They are known to usurp the nests of striped swallows, often evicting them mid-use. Nests are typically sheltered by rock overhangs, bridges, culverts, or caves, and sometimes placed in wall holes or agricultural machinery cavities. In southern Africa, egg-laying occurs from August to December, peaking between September and November. Clutches usually contain 2-4 eggs, incubated by the female for 14–16 days. Both parents feed the chicks, which fledge at about three weeks old.

Similar Species

The white-crowned cliff chat (Thamnolaea coronata) of West Africa is sometimes considered conspecific with the mocking cliff chat.

Diet and Feeding

The mocking cliff chat's diet is mainly composed of insects, supplemented by fruits and nectar from aloes. Their foraging behavior is characterized by perching and pouncing, as well as gleaning from foliage.

Conservation status

The mocking cliff chat is currently listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, indicating that, for now, this species does not face immediate threats to its survival.