Saxicola tectes
The Réunion Stonechat (Saxicola tectes), an enchanting passerine endemic to the volcanic island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean, is a small yet striking member of the Old World flycatcher family. Measuring approximately 12 cm (4.7 in) in length and weighing 13-17 grams, it exhibits clear sexual dimorphism. Males are instantly recognizable by their glossy black head, a distinctive white half-collar, a black back, and a vibrant rufous-orange breast that fades to a white belly, often accentuated ...
Found in subtropical and tropical high-altitude shrubland, pastures, clearings, and forest edges, typically at elevations ranging from near sea level up to 2500 meters.
Primarily insectivorous, consuming a wide variety of insects such as beetles, grasshoppers, caterpillars, and ants, along with spiders and other small invertebrates. Occasionally supplements its diet with small berries.
Réunion Stonechats are diurnal, active throughout the day, often commencing their foraging at dawn and roosting within dense vegetation at dusk. Their primary foraging strategy is 'perch-and-pounce,' where they observe from a prominent perch (a bush top, rock, or wire) before swooping down to sna...
The Réunion Stonechat is strictly endemic to Réunion Island, a French overseas department in the Indian Ocean. Its distribution spans almost the entirety of the island where suitable habitat exists, from the coastal lowlands up to the high-altitude volcanic peaks. This species is particularly com...
Least Concern
- The Réunion Stonechat is an island endemic, found nowhere else in the world, making it a unique avian treasure of the Mascarenes. - Its local name, 'Tec-tec,' is an onomatopoeic representation of its characteristic sharp 'chack-chack' alarm call. - Males are known for their striking contrast of...