The Rubeho akalat is a member of the Old World flycatcher family, (Muscicapiidae), known from the Rubeho Mountains in Dodoma Region. The mountains are a part of the Eastern Arc of Tanzania. Akalats trapped in 1989 here were assumed to be an isolated population of Iringa akalat which occurs c. 150 km to the south, but further specimens collected in 2000 led to the description of the bird as a new species. The bird's English name relates to its type locality, Rubeho Mountains, Morogoro; the scientific name to the ochraceous colour on its throat and upper breast.
Region
Eastern Arc Mountains
Typical Environment
This species is restricted to moist montane evergreen forests of the Rubeho range, favoring dense understory, vine tangles, and bamboo thickets. It keeps close to the forest floor and along shaded stream gullies. Microhabitats with deep leaf litter and fallen logs are important for foraging. It avoids heavily disturbed edges and does poorly in secondary growth lacking a closed canopy.
Altitude Range
1300–2200 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The Rubeho akalat is a shy, ground-frequenting Old World flycatcher confined to Tanzania’s Rubeho Mountains in the Eastern Arc. Long confused with the Iringa akalat, it was described as a distinct species after specimens collected in 2000 highlighted its unique ochre-orange throat and breast. It is highly sensitive to forest degradation and fragmentation, making intact montane forest crucial for its survival.
Temperament
shy and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low to the ground
Social Behavior
Usually solitary or in pairs within dense understory territories. Likely monogamous, with both parents participating in care. Nests are thought to be placed low in dense cover or root tangles, typical of akalats, and birds maintain small, well-defended territories.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A soft, musical series of clear whistles and mellow phrases delivered from concealed perches, often at dawn. Calls include thin, high chips and quiet contact notes used while moving through cover.
Plumage
Upperparts are warm brown to olive-brown with a rufous-tinged tail; underparts show an ochre-orange throat and upper breast grading to whitish belly and flanks. The feathering is soft and plain, with minimal streaking, suited to a skulking forest lifestyle.
Diet
Feeds primarily on arthropods such as beetles, ants, spiders, and caterpillars gleaned from leaf litter and low vegetation. It occasionally sallies short distances to snatch prey from the ground or understory foliage. Small fruits may be taken opportunistically but are a minor component.
Preferred Environment
Forages on shaded forest floors with deep leaf litter, near rotting logs, root mats, and along stream banks. Prefers dense, humid understory where it can move unseen between thickets.
