Angola Cave-Chat Xenocopsychus ansorgei Scientific name definitions

18–19 cm; 30–39 g. Distinctive pied robin-chat , recalling Copsychus saularis. Plumage is black above , white below , but with long white supercilium , bold white shoulder patch , greyish-white rump, white uppertail-coverts, white outer tail, black face and chin; black bill and legs. Sexes similar, female somewhat smaller. Juvenile is like adult, but with yellowish tinge on breast and flanks, very fine black streaking on breast.

Escarpment of W Angola and NW Namibia (Zebra Mts) (1 Clement, P., and C. Rose (2015). Robins and Chats. Christopher Helm, London, United Kingdom. Close ).

Song musical, “dülülü dülü dülülü”, has been likened to that of Woodlark (Lullula arborea) but also with Cossypha affinities, with harsher “chip” notes, and more deliberate than that of D. humeralis. Calls include quiet “ui ti ti, ui ti ti”  , possibly for contact, and harsh ringing repeated “birr-djerr” in alarm; ethereal, echoing call lasting 2 seconds, increasing in strength and then fading, was given by one of a pair in c. 5-minute bouts from exposed boulder, and repeated at intervals of c. 30 minutes.

Not globally threatened (LEAST CONCERN). Restricted-range species: present in Western Angola EBA. Extremely localized distribution, long thought to be confined to four areas: E Namibe and Huila, N’dalantando (in Cuanza Norte), Mt Soque (in Huambo), and Gabela area of Cuanza Sul. In May 2012, three pairs were found in the Zebra Mountains of NW Namibia, c. 240 km south of the closest previously-known population in Angola, and further birds have since been recorded at other nearby sites with suitable scree slope habitat. The discovery increases the species' range, and it was therefore downlisted from Near Threatened in 2014 BirdLife International (2014) Species factsheet: Xenocopsychus ansorgei. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 28/08/2014. . Locally common. Known sites should be formally protected.