Karoo Chat

The scientific name commemorates the German ornithologist, Hermann Schlegel

The Karoo Chat is classified as Least Concern. Does not qualify for a more at risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category.

The Karoo Chat, Cercomela schlegelii, is a small passerine bird of the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is a common resident breeder in southwesternmost Angola, western Namibia and western South Africa. Its habitat is Karoo and desert scrub in the south, extending to the escarpment zone in the north. More

The Karoo Chat is a Southern African bird that belongs to the Muscicapidae bird family group which includes birds such as Thrushes, Robins, Chats, Old World Flycatchers. The description for the Karoo Chat (Latin name Cercomela schlegelii) can be found in the 7th Edition of the Roberts Birds of Southern Africa. The Cercomela schlegelii can be quickly identified by its unique Roberts identification number of 592 and the detailed description of this bird is on page 953. More

However, Tractrac Chat's much-discussed resemblance to Karoo Chat is only superficial: Tractrac is a smaller, paler and more compact bird, shorter-tailed and with a characteristically pale rump. The similar, but more scarce, Sickle-winged Chat can also have a remarkably pale, square rump-patch, but also appears longer-tailed and generally darker than Tractrac. More

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The Karoo Chat has "chak-chak" and trrat-trrat calls. Behaviour The Karoo Chat builds a cup-shaped nest of straw and leaves on the ground, usually under a bush or shrub. It lays two to four green eggs. This species is monogamous, mating for life. The Karoo Chat is usually seen singly or in pairs. It forages from the ground for insects including butterflies, bees, wasps, locusts and ants. Prey is typically taking in a short flight. More

Karoo Chat, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, Rufous-eared Warbler, Chat Flycatcher, Dusky Sunbird and Lark-like Bunting. 2. Klipspringer Pass Drive (12 km and approx. 1½ - 2 hours) is best for Black-headed Canary, Verreauxs' Eagle, Steppe Buzzard (summer), African Harrier-Hawk, Rock Kestrel, White-necked Raven, Short-toed Rock-Thrush, Layard's Tit-Babbler, Cinnamon-breasted Warbler, Grey-backed Cisticola, African Rock Pipit, Grey Tit, Ground Woodpecker, Alpine Swift, Grey-winged Francolin and Long-billed Pipit. 3. More

near-endemic: Karoo chat (Cercomela schlegelii), tractrac chat (Cercomela tractrac), red lark (Certhilauda burra), Karoo scrub robin (Cercotrichas coryphaeus), red-headed cisticola (Cisticola subruficapillus), and the Namaqua prinia (Phragmacia substriata). Other characteristic speces of the Nama Karoo which are regarded as "Vulnerable" in South Africa are tawny (Aquila rapax) and martial (Polemaetus bellicosus) eagles, African marsh harrier (Circus ranivorus), lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni), blue crane (Anthropoides paradiseus), kori (Ardeotis kori) and Ludwig More