White-winged cliff chat

The white-winged cliff chat is a species of passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is found in rocky wooded gorges, among boulders and in road cuttings within the Ethiopian Highlands.

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Distribution

Region

Ethiopian Highlands

Typical Environment

Occurs along escarpments, rocky wooded gorges, basalt outcrops, and boulder-strewn slopes across the Ethiopian Highlands, extending into adjacent highland areas of Eritrea. It favors broken terrain with scattered shrubs and open woodland edges. Birds often hunt from exposed rocks, walls, and road cuttings, and will enter villages where suitable rockwork exists. Nesting typically takes place in crevices, caves, or man-made cavities near cliffs.

Altitude Range

1500–3500 m

Climate Zone

Highland

Characteristics

Size17–20 cm

Wing Span25–30 cm

Male Weight0.04 kg

Female Weight0.035 kg

Life Expectancy6 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 2/5

Useful to know

This chat is a rock-loving specialist of the Ethiopian Highlands, often seen sallying from boulders and cliff ledges to snap up insects. Males flaunt bold white wing patches in fluttering display flights and frequent tail-flicks. It readily uses road cuttings and even buildings as cliff substitutes, nesting in crevices and cavities.

Gallery

Female at Debre Berhan, Ethiopia

Behaviour

Temperament

bold and alert

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats with quick sallies

Social Behavior

Usually found singly or in pairs; forms family parties after breeding. Pairs are territorial and use prominent rocks or walls as song posts. Nests are placed in crevices, cliff holes, or building cavities and are lined with grasses; both parents attend the young.

Migratory Pattern

Resident

Song Description

A rich, melodious series of whistles and varied phrases delivered from exposed perches. Calls include sharp tacks and chatter, with occasional mimicry of other species in some renditions.

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Identification

Leg Colorblackish-grey

Eye Colordark brown

Plumage

Male is sleek black with a prominent white wing panel and contrasting rufous to chestnut belly and undertail; feathers are smooth and glossy. Female is warm brown above with paler buffy underparts, often showing a subdued pale wing panel and rufous undertail. Both sexes show the striking white wing flash in flight.

Feeding Habits

Diet

Primarily hunts insects such as beetles, ants, termites, grasshoppers, and flies, along with spiders and other small arthropods. It forages by perch-and-sally, dropping to the ground to pounce or gleaning from rock surfaces. Occasional small fruits or berries may be taken, especially in the dry season. Prey is often beaten against rocks before swallowing.

Preferred Environment

Feeds on rocky slopes, cliff ledges, and boulder fields, often along escarpments and gorge edges. Frequently forages around road cuttings, stone walls, and buildings that mimic natural rock faces.

Population

Total Known Populationunknown

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