Myrmecocichla tholloni
The Congo Moor Chat, scientifically known as Myrmecocichla tholloni, is a striking yet often elusive passerine belonging to the Old World flycatcher family (Muscicapidae). This medium-sized chat measures approximately 16 cm in length and weighs between 25-30 grams. Males are predominantly glossy black, often revealing a distinctive white shoulder patch (speculum) during flight, a key field mark for identification. Females are generally duller, with a brownish-black plumage and sometimes a ruf...
This chat favors open grasslands, grassy savannas, and open woodlands, often found near rocky outcrops, river banks, or, most notably, active termite mounds, typically at elevations below 1000 meters.
Their diet consists predominantly of insects, with a particular fondness for ants and termites, supplemented by beetles, grasshoppers, and other terrestrial invertebrates, primarily obtained by ground-gleaning.
Congo Moor Chats are primarily diurnal and terrestrial, spending much of their active time foraging on the ground. They employ a 'perch-and-pounce' foraging strategy, utilizing prominent perches like low bushes, rocks, or the tops of termite mounds to scan for prey before swooping down. Males are...
The Congo Moor Chat exhibits a somewhat fragmented distribution across Central Africa, primarily residing in lowland regions below 1000 meters. Its range extends discontinuously from extreme southern Cameroon, eastward through the southern Central African Republic, and into the northern parts of ...
Least Concern
- The Congo Moor Chat is an ecological specialist, almost exclusively nesting inside the abandoned tunnels of large termite mounds. - Its scientific name, Myrmecocichla, literally means 'ant thrush' in Greek, reflecting its close association with ants and termites. - Males have a hidden white pat...