Sombre Rock Chat Oenanthe dubia Scientific name definitions

14–15 cm. Large-eyed chat very like O. melanura of darkest race ultima, but tail dark brown, vent greyish-white or brownish-white or brownish-black; bill stronger. Sexes similar. Juvenile undescribed.

Areas of rock and scrub apparently favoured at 740–1800 m (2 Ash, J. S., and J. Atkins (2009). Birds of Ethiopia and Eritrea: An Atlas of Distribution. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). In Ethiopia, observed on rocky slopes with grass and scrub at 1250 m and 1560 m on sides and crater of Mt Fantalle. Type specimen was collected in area with rocks and bushes.

Song , delivered from prominent perch, a short rising and falling series of dry staccato "chip" notes, repeated monotonously (3 Redman, N., T. Stevenson, and J. Fanshawe (2011). Birds of the Horn of Africa: Ethiopia, Eritrea, Dijbouti, Somalia and Socotra. 2nd edition. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

Very little information. Nest-building observed on 11 May, and pair with juvenile seen on 16 Nov (2 Ash, J. S., and J. Atkins (2009). Birds of Ethiopia and Eritrea: An Atlas of Distribution. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

Not globally threatened. Currently considered Data Deficient. Little known, and apparently rare; but equally perhaps locally frequent, and possibly overlooked owing to great similarity to O. melanura and O. scotocerca. In Ethiopia, recorded from a few locations in lower Awash Valley, and at L Beseka and Mt Fantalle, in Awash National Park; however, many observations are thought to be misidentications of O. scotocerca (4 Butchart, S. H. M. (2007). Birds to find: a review of ‘lost’, obscure and poorly known African bird species. Bulletin of the African Bird Club 14(2):139–157. Close ). Single old record and Sep 2012 sighting from Xeeleh Mts (Mt Wagar), in N Somalia (5 Clement, P., and C. Rose (2015). Robins and Chats. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Recent record from Djibouti in Sep 2010 may refer to a vagrant (5 Clement, P., and C. Rose (2015). Robins and Chats. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Habitat unlikely to be seriously threatened. However, there is insufficient information to allow a robust assessment of its risk of extinction; it is therefore considered Data Deficient. Searches should be directed areas with grass and scrub covered rocky slopes, paying careful attention to fieldmarks allowing separation from confusion species.