The white-bellied robin-chat is a species of bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is found across the Western High Plateau, Bioko and the Albertine Rift montane forests. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.
Region
Central Africa
Typical Environment
Occurs in the Western High Plateau of Cameroon, on Bioko Island (Equatorial Guinea), and patchily through the Albertine Rift montane forests of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. It inhabits moist evergreen lowland to montane forests, especially dense understory, vine tangles, and forest edges. Frequently found along shady stream courses, in ravines, and in secondary growth adjacent to primary forest. It tolerates selectively logged forest and can occur in forest–farmland mosaics provided cover remains.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2400 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This shy forest robin-chat is more often heard than seen, giving soft, piping whistles from dense undergrowth. It ranges discontinuously from the Cameroonian highlands and Bioko to the Albertine Rift. It forages low, hopping through leaf litter and along shaded stream gullies. Though unobtrusive, it may join mixed-species flocks in the understory.
Temperament
shy and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually solitary or in pairs within dense understory. Territorial during the breeding season, with both sexes likely contributing to care of young. Nests are placed low, concealed in thickets, banks, or root tangles along streams. Outside breeding, it may accompany mixed-species flocks at low levels.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A series of soft, clear, piping whistles and thin phrases delivered from low perches within cover. Calls include sharp tics and softer seep notes, often repeated and interwoven with pauses.
Plumage
Compact robin-chat with dark slate-olive upperparts, clean white underparts, and a contrasting rufous tail and uppertail coverts. The head is dusky to slate with a subtly paler loral area and fine pale eye-ring. Wings are darker with faint edging; underparts are bright white from throat to belly with slightly warmer flanks.
Diet
Primarily feeds on insects and other small arthropods such as beetles, ants, caterpillars, and spiders. Will glean from low foliage and probe among leaf litter and mossy logs. Occasionally takes small berries or other soft fruits, especially when insect prey is scarce.
Preferred Environment
Forages on the shaded forest floor and in dense understory along streams, trails, and forest edges. Frequently works leaf litter, root tangles, and fallen timber in humid ravines and gullies. Uses low perches for short sallies into nearby cover.
