Cercotrichas hartlaubi
The Brown-backed Scrub Robin (Cercotrichas hartlaubi) is a charming, medium-sized passerine, a jewel of the dense undergrowth across Central and East Africa. Measuring approximately 15-17 cm (6-6.7 inches) in length and weighing 15-20 grams, this species is characterized by its warm brown upperparts, contrasting with clean white underparts, and a distinctive rufous rump and vent. Key field marks include a prominent white supercilium that contrasts with a dark eye-stripe, giving it an alert, i...
Found primarily in dense undergrowth, secondary forests, woodland edges, and riverine thickets, typically in lowland to mid-elevation areas up to 2,500 meters.
Its diet consists mainly of insects, including beetles, ants, termites, and caterpillars, which it gleans from the ground and low-lying vegetation.
This diurnal species is generally shy and skulking, preferring to remain hidden in dense vegetation, though its presence is often given away by its remarkable song, which can also be heard during crepuscular hours. It forages primarily on the ground or in low vegetation, gleaning insects with agi...
The Brown-backed Scrub Robin is a resident species widely distributed across much of equatorial Central and East Africa. Its core breeding and year-round range spans from southeastern Cameroon, Gabon, and the Republic of Congo eastward through the Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of ...
Least Concern
- Its scientific name honors the German ornithologist Gustav Hartlaub, who described many African bird species. - Despite its common name, the Brown-backed Scrub Robin is not a true robin (family Turdidae) but belongs to the Old World flycatcher family (Muscicapidae). - It is renowned for its rem...