Familiar Chat

Overview

The familiar chat (Oenanthe familiaris) is a small passerine bird belonging to the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is a common resident breeder found across Africa south of the Sahara.

Identification

• A dumpy, short-tailed bird measuring 14–15 cm in length.
• Dull brown upperparts with warmer brown ear coverts, and underparts ranging from off-white to pale grey-brown.
• Rufous rump and outer tail feathers with dark brown tips, contrasting with dark brown central tail feathers.
• Black, straight bill and black legs and feet; possesses a soft "shek-shek" alarm call and a warbling trill song.

Habitat

The species inhabits rocky and mountainous regions as well as areas around human habitation. Its range covers Africa south of the Sahara, with distinct subspecies distributions extending from Senegal and northwest Ethiopia to southern South Africa.

Diet

The familiar chat consumes insects, fruit, animal fat, and household or farmyard scraps. It is typically observed hopping on bare patches of soil or perched on rocks, often flicking its wings as it moves.

Did you know?

The bird's Afrikaans name, spekvreter, meaning "fat-eater", originates from its developed habit of feeding on lard used to grease wagon axles by early settlers.