The lowland akalat is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. Its disjunct range extends across the African tropical rainforest. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest.
Region
Central and West African Rainforest Belt
Typical Environment
Occurs in disjunct populations in Upper Guinea (e.g., Sierra Leone to Ghana) and across Central Africa including Cameroon, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and northern Angola. It inhabits primary and mature secondary lowland forests, gallery forests, and dense undergrowth along streams. Prefers shaded understory with tangled vines and thickets, often near forest edges or clearings. Rarely ascends into montane zones, remaining mostly in lowland rainforest habitats.
Altitude Range
0–1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The lowland akalat is a shy, ground-loving flycatcher of the African tropical rainforest understory. It often forages quietly in leaf litter, flicking its rufous tail and slipping through dense thickets. Its range is disjunct, with populations in West Africa and across the Congo Basin. Despite being widespread, it can be hard to see and is more often detected by its mellow, whistled song.
Temperament
solitary and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats close to the ground
Social Behavior
Usually found singly or in pairs, maintaining territories in dense understory. Nests are cup-shaped and placed low, often in tangles, root masses, or near stream banks. Both parents participate in care, and birds remain well concealed while breeding.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Delivers a series of soft, mellow whistles and sweet, descending phrases from concealed perches. Contact calls include thin ticks and soft chups, often given while moving through cover, especially at dawn and dusk.
Plumage
Warm brown upperparts with a contrasting rufous rump and tail; pale throat shading to greyish breast and buffy underparts. Subtle mottling on the throat and breast may be present, with clean, soft-textured plumage overall.
Diet
Feeds mainly on arthropods such as ants, beetles, termites, spiders, and small caterpillars. Forages by gleaning from leaf litter and low vegetation and by making short dashes to the ground. Will occasionally snap at small prey flushed by moving through dense cover. May rarely take small berries when insects are scarce.
Preferred Environment
Shady understory of primary and older secondary forests, especially near streams, vine tangles, and dense thickets. Often along trails, fallen logs, and leaf-littered clearings within forest.
